Despite even the best prevention efforts and safety practices, workplace injuries in Ohio still occur daily. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Ohio reports about 85,000 nonfatal workplace injuries yearly, the equivalent of 2.4 injuries per 100 full-time workers.[1]
Quoting the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, “There were an estimated 110,500 total recordable cases reported in 2019 for all industries; 36,200 (32.7%) cases involved one or more days away from work, 19,600 (17.7%) cases involved one or more days of job restriction/transfer, and 54,700 (49.5%) were recordable cases with no loss time.”[2]
In short, work injuries in Ohio occur, so what can employees do to help recover?
Tips for Recovering from a Workplace Injury in Ohio
The following are some tips for addressing the physical toll resulting from an Ohio workplace injury:
1). Seek medical care and follow medical advice. Often, employees injured at work don’t want to seek medical care, and that’s a poor decision. Don’t be afraid to see the doctor and follow their advice! Doing so will almost certainly improve your recovery.
2). Rest, rest, rest. The body heals best when allowed to rest, and forcing oneself to engage in household chores and physically strenuous tasks might prolong recovery or even worsen the injury.
3). Depending on the injury, noninvasive therapeutics like laser therapy, massage, chiropractic care, herbal remedies, certain vitamins and supplements, hot/cold therapy, and physical therapy can promote recovery and healing.
4). Workers at home recovering from an injury should take time to engage their minds and be mindful of their mental health. Taking part in productive activities that are not physically demanding but which are mentally stimulating can help promote recovery.
5). Get plenty of healthy meals, drink lots of water, and get sufficient sleep. The body requires fuel to heal from injury, so during recovery, one should get enough food, water, and rest.
6). Seek alternative pain remedies. Injured workers may be dealing with a fair amount of physical pain, but they should only seek pain relief from opioid pain relievers as a last resort and only exactly as directed by their physician due to the addictive nature of such medications. Rather, workers should seek holistic remedies and over-the-counter pain relief when possible.
7). Perhaps most importantly, workers should not return to work until fully recovered, as doing so may heighten the risk of re-injury.
NRS Injury Law Helps with Work-Related Injuries
NRS Injury Law is Ohio’s largest workers’ compensation law firm. If you or a family member or loved one has been injured at work and you need help with Ohio workers’ comp, call our legal offices today at 855.468.4878, or fill out our convenient contact form.
Sources Cited:
[1] BLS. “Employer-reported workplace injuries and illnesses in Ohio — 2020.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020. bls.gov
[2] BWC. “2019 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) Data for Ohio.” Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, 2019. info.bwc.ohio.gov
