It goes without saying that neck, back and spine injuries are among some of the most common yet potentially incapacitating of all workplace injuries. Moreover, they can strike any employee in virtually any industry. A construction worker lifting heavy boards overhead or an office worker lifting a stack of heavy documents can be afflicted with the same painful back or neck problems.

Many of these injured employees - particularly those suffering from such painful conditions as degenerative disc disease, nerve root disease or herniated discs - often choose to have spinal fusion surgery in an attempt to alleviate their lower back pain.

(For the uninitiated, spinal fusion surgery is a complex medical procedure in which the surgeon fuses adjacent vertebrae together.)

However, a recent report in the medical journal Spine indicates that spinal fusion surgery may not be a panacea for lower back pain.

According to Dr. Trang Nguyen, one of the authors of the report, spinal fusion surgery "may not be an effective operation for workers' compensation patients" and should be "cautiously considered."

Dr. Nguyen and his associates arrived at this conclusion by comparing the workers' compensation cases of 725 workers who underwent spinal fusion surgery with the workers' compensation cases of 725 workers who elected to pursue alternatives to spinal fusion surgery (physical therapy, simple exercise, etc.).

Specifically, the final treatment outcomes of these injured workers at two-year follow-ups were compared. This meant closely evaluating use of pain medication, disability rates and return to work rates.

Researchers determined that a mere 2 percent of workers who elected to pursue alternatives to spinal fusion surgery had a permanent disability, while 11 percent of workers who chose spinal fusion surgery had a permanent disability.

In addition, they found that 66 percent of workers who elected to pursue alternatives to spinal fusion surgery had returned to work while roughly 25 percent of workers who chose spinal fusion surgery had returned to work.

"This procedure is offered to improve pain and function, yet objective outcomes showed increased permanent disability, poor return to work status, and higher doses of opioids," the study concluded.

Stay tuned for future developments from our San Diego workers' compensation blog ...

You should strongly consider seeking the necessary medical treatment if you have suffered any type of neck, back and spine injury - regardless of your employment setting.

This post was for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal or medical advice.

Related Resources:

Spinal fusion surgery provides worse outcomes in workers' compensation patients (Medical News)