TRADIE’S OFTEN SUFFER WORK-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS
According to research from the Australian Physiotherapy Association, Aussie tradies are almost twice as likely to take better care of their tools than they do their bodies, despite having one of the highest injury rates of any occupation.
Tradies month (August) is all about highlighting the risks tradies face every day, and sharing advice on how to prevent or treat the musculoskeletal diseases and injuries that often come with being a tradie.
Cape Byron Medical’s physiotherapist Danni Turner says there are plenty of things tradies can do – both large and small – to keep injuries to a minimum.
What kind of injuries are tradies susceptible to?
Tradies are susceptible to a variety of back and neck injuries, from repetitive work at ground or overhead levels. Most trades involve a lot of heavy (and often awkward) lifting which leaves them open to a host of injuries. These injuries can range from small pains and twinges, to debilitating ones. It’s important to remember that if you ignore a small twinge and carry on working, it can pretty easily become a debilitating injury which means time off work, time off sport and often a great deal of pain. Prevention is always best.
Are there preventative measures tradies can take to reduce injury, if so what are some of them?
In particular, tradies need to stay on top of a regular fitness and strength regime so that they are more robust to handle the daily demands of their job. And the simple act of listening to your body and responding to what it’s telling you. Pain should not be part of any job. It’s important to remember, we can address smaller issues before they turn into much larger ones.
Are tradies injuries always immediate or can it be years after putting down the tools?
They can be immediate but more often these injuries are a result of repetitive strain on bodies that often aren’t well looked after both during work and outside of the workplace.
How can physio help tradies?
Physio can help tradies prevent injuries from occurring, and can equip tradies with an exercise regime that will reduce your risk of workplace injury. If an injury has occurred, even if it was many years ago, physio can also help you recover quickly and efficiently.
For the month of August, Danni is offering all tradies a 10% discount on their first assessment.
