Slip and fall accidents are the most common cause of foot and ankle injuries in workplaces.

A work-related foot or ankle injury can prove more painful and troublesome than you may think. These injuries can severely limit a worker's mobility and ability to perform his job duties and even daily activities. Foot and ankle injuries can also lead to permanent  disability In this article, we will discuss the common work-related causes of foot and ankle injuries, types of foot and ankle injuries and benefits available to injured workers.

Work-Related Causes of Foot and Ankle Injuries

Foot and ankle injuries can occur as a result of a single incident or from overuse. Some common causes include:

• Slip and Fall Accidents
• Overexertion
• Fall from height
• Being caught in heavy machinery
• Walking or standing for longs periods of time
• Repetitive motion
• Stepping on sharp objects

Workers at Risk of Foot and Ankle Injuries

Slip and fall accidents are the most common cause of foot and ankle injuries in workplaces. While any worker can suffer a work-related foot or ankle injury, some workers are more likely to suffer these injuries than others:

• Nurses
• Workers in manufacturing industries including laborers, roofers, carpenters, masons
• Auto mechanics
• Workers in the retail industry like waiters, cashiers, retail clerks, cooks

Common Work-Related Foot and Ankle Injuries

There are a wide variety of workplace foot and ankle injuries that a person can suffer. Some commonly reported injuries are:

• Bone fractures: Foot, ankle, and toes have small bones that can easily break in a workplace accident. If the worker is caught between parts of machinery or is crushed under moving marts or motor vehicle, he/she can suffer multiple fractures.
• Puncture wounds: A puncture wound from stepping on a sharp object or from a power tool can limit the worker's ability to walk and stand.
• Sprains and strains: A worker can twist or turn his/her ankle can suffer an ankle strain or sprain. While in most cases RICE and pain medication is enough to treat a strain or sprain, in serious cases surgery may be required.
• Tendonitis: It is the irritation or inflammation of the tendons around the ankle joints resulting from overuse.
• Burn injuries: Chemical spills can cause serious burn injuries.
• Cartilage damage: When a worker suffers serious fracture or sprain, they could injure the cartilage as well.
• Amputation: Amputations are catastrophic, and can occur if the worker's foot is caught in machinery or the person is injured in a motor vehicle accident. Severe fractures or crush injuries can necessitate medical amputation.

Suffered a Work-Related Foot or Ankle Injury?

If you have injured your foot or ankle in the workplace, you may be able to claim workers compensation benefits. Contact the Law Office of James F. Aspell, P.C  to understand your rights.

Call us aanytime at 860=523-8783 to request a free consultation.