Heavy lifting, repetitive movement and even sitting at a desk all day can cause serious neck and back conditions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 1 million workers suffer back injuries each year, and back injuries account for one fifth of all workers’ compensation cases in the United States.
Common workplace back injuries include lower back strain, slipped or herniated discs, as well as fractured vertebrae, pinched nerves and spinal cord damage. Back injuries are painful and often require extended treatment and recovery periods. It is important to seek medical care for injured workers immediately following a work-related accident in order to decrease the time spent in recovery and return employees to work sooner, ultimately decreasing the overall cost to the employer.
Fortunately, the physician team at Dickson-Diveley Orthopaedics includes two board-certified and fellowship-trained interventional physiatrists: Dr. Fermin Santos and Dr. C. Lan Fotopolous. For workers’ compensation patients who require back surgery, our team also includes a fellowship-trained spine surgeon, Dr. Theodore Koreckij. All our physicians work with case managers, adjusters and employers to get patients with on-the-job injuries back to work faster and more efficiently.
Physiatry (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)
Our physiatrists (also known as physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians) care for patients who have severe back pain that has not responded to conservative treatment methods like physical therapy or medication. Through interventional, nonsurgical procedures – including compression fracture treatment (vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty), radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord stimulation and epidural steroid injections – our physiatrists treat and manage painful symptoms related to a variety of back and spine conditions.
Back Surgery
Spine surgery may be an option for workers’ compensation patients who have not found relief through nonsurgical methods. In addition to treating adult degenerative disorders of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, our spine surgeon treats severe lower back pain and other spine conditions, including workers’ compensation injuries. Common surgical procedures for neck and back pain relief include laminectomy, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), disc replacement, and spinal fusion.
In addition, our team includes board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians who specialize in treating other work-related injuries, including shoulder injuries, knee injuries, hand and wrist injuries, and foot and ankle conditions. Contact us for more information and expert recommendations on the right course of treatment for workers’ compensation patients.
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The medical information contained in the Dickson-Diveley Orthopaedics website is provided to increase your knowledge and understanding of orthopedic conditions. This information should not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific medical or surgical treatment plan. As each patient may have specific symptoms or associated problems, the treatment regimen for a specific patient may not be the proper treatment for another.
Gaining knowledge and understanding of a particular problem or condition is the first step in any medical treatment plan. We believe the information presented on our website will be helpful for those individuals experiencing neck and back pain, workers compensation injuries or other related problems. However, this information is not intended to replace the advice of your family physician. You are encouraged to consult with your physician to discuss any course of treatment presented or suggested.
