Changes in how radiologists do their jobs could cause these Pennsylvania professionals to experience neck and back pain. Those who operate in picture archiving and communication spend less time in front of patients and more time in front of a computer. As work areas are not necessarily designed in an ergonomic manner, a worker could be forced to sit in an awkward position.
In some cases, injuries such as “computer back” or “mouse shoulder” are attributed to the fact that workers aren’t taking breaks or otherwise moving out of uncomfortable positions for long periods of time. Those who are in pain are less likely to feel good about the work that they do. For radiologists, not enjoying the job could lead to burnout. However, by understanding what causes the pain, it could be possible to institute a culture change that allows radiologists to feel better about their work.
As part of a study conducted by the American College of Radiology’s Human Resources Commission, about 500 practice leaders were asked about staff workplace injuries. Of respondents, 25 percent said that neck pain was reported while 16 percent said that repetitive stress injuries occurred in their practices. However, the most common injury was back pain as that was reported by 32 percent of respondents.
Workers who are injured on the job are usually eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. This is generally true whether the injury is the result of an accident or if occurs over a period of time. People who are in this type of a situation might want to have legal assistance when preparing and submitting their claim.
