Mercy Health specialists correlate caregiving to musculoskeletal pain

Orthopedic specialists at Mercy Health have made a correlation between primary caregivers and musculoskeletal pain and related health issues.

"We're seeing a concerning trend of caregivers—particularly those with young children—delaying treatment for significant orthopedic issues," said Mercy Health Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Nicholas Miladore.

The media release states that research points to high rates of chronic musculoskeletal pain in those caring for young children or older relatives compared to non-caregivers.

According to Cigna Healthcare, musculoskeletal conditions such as lower back pain and arthritis are prevalent in more than half of adults in the United States of America, with only half of those adults seeking treatment.

It is believed that most of this pain and issues are caused over time due to negligence in addressing the pain as opposed to an injury caused in one instance.

These issues can come from many different factors, such as neglecting to use proper posture and technique when doing tasks such as carrying and assisting relatives, constant and repetitive tasks where one must exert oneself and the disruption of sleep.

"What many caregivers don't realize is that small modifications to how they perform daily tasks can dramatically reduce their risk of injury," explains Dr. Miladore. "Learning proper lifting techniques and understanding how to engage core muscles during routine activities can prevent years of unnecessary suffering."

Mercy Health advises those experiencing musculoskeletal pain from being a primary caregiver to circumvent long-term effects and ailments. One can do that through physical therapy, learning proper technique when lifting objects, targeted exercise and possibly minimally invasive procedures.

Mercy Health also offers orthopedic care with accommodations made to work with individuals with busy schedules. Those interested in receiving this kind of treatment from Mercy Health can visit mercy.com.

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