Caregivers can be at risk for injuries from lifting patients or clients. Injuries can occur from transferring people from beds to wheelchairs, providing lift assists to help people get up from chairs or into cars, or positioning and turning people in bed. Some injuries can be sudden, called "specific or traumatic." Other injuries can occur over a period of time due to wear and tear on joints and the back, called "cumulative trauma" or "continuous trauma injuries." This is also called a "repetitive motion" or "repetitive strain" injury.
As explained at Google Books and at Repetitive-Stress-Injuries.com you can read about the types of injuries that performing the same movements repeatedly can cause. Some of these include damage to muscles, nerves, ligaments, tendons, and bones.
The repetitive motion injuries are often treated by orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, neurosurgeons, physical and occupational therapists and vocational counselors.
Caregivers are at risk for lifting, transferring, and repositioning injuries to their back, knees, and other areas of the body used in lifting. Sudden injuries to the back from lifting can occur, as well as injuries that occur over a period of time from repeated motions of lifting.
If an employed caregiver believes an injury may have occurred then it is important to consult with an attorney and a Workers Compensation claim may be filed.
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