Workers comp low back pain also includes these spinal conditions:
Facet Joint Arthritis
The facet joints along the back of the spinal column link the vertebrae together. They are not meant to bear much weight. However, if a disc loses its height, the vertebra above the disc begins to compress toward the one below. This causes the facet joints to press together. Articular cartilage covers the surfaces where these joints meet. Like other joints in the body that are covered with articular cartilage, the facet joints can develop osteoarthritis as the articular cartilage wears away over time. Job duties over time can be a factor. The swelling and inflammation from an arthritic facet joint can be a source of low back pain.
Segmental Instability
Segmental instability means that the vertebral bones within a spinal segment move more than they should. Disc degeneration and ligaments stretching can contribute. Segmental instability also includes conditions in which a vertebral body begins to slip over the one below it. When a vertebral body slips too far forward, the condition is called spondylolisthesis. Whatever the cause, this extra movement in the bones of the spine can create problems. It can lead to mechanical pain simply because the structures of the spine move around too much and become inflamed and painful. The extra movement can also cause neurogenic symptoms if the spinal nerves are squeezed as a result of the segmental instability.
Spinal Stenosis
Stenosis means closing in. Spinal stenosis refers to a condition in which the tissues inside the spinal canal are closed in or compressed. When stenosis narrows the spinal canal, the spinal nerves are squeezed inside the canal. The pressure from the condition can cause pain and numbness in the buttocks and legs and weakness in the muscles supplied by the nerves. It can affect control of the bladder and bowels.
Foraminal Stenosis
Spinal nerves exit the spinal canal between the vertebrae in a tunnel called the neural foramen. Anything that causes this tunnel to become smaller can squeeze the spinal nerve where it passes through the tunnel. This condition is called foraminal stenosis, meaning the foramen is narrowed. As the disc collapses the opening around the nerve root narrows, squeezing the nerve. Arthritis of the facet joints causes bone spurs to form and point into the foramen, causing further nerve compression and irritation. Foraminal stenosis can cause a combination of mechanical pain and neurogenic pain from the irritated nerve root.
McCormick Law Office attorneys represent injured workers in the Milwaukee area and Wisconsin getting the best results in workers compensation cases when the medical opinions are supported by a strong factual basis in the records and work history.
