There is a lot you can do to control WC from pre-existing injuries

With an aging workforce, distinguishing between pre-existing injuries and the results of aging is becoming more important. It is very important to get medical records prior to the workplace injury, even if you have to get these records from more than one source. Earlier records are very helpful in establishing a baseline for comparison such as with an MRI.

The single most frequent consideration with back pain is degenerative arthritis, also called degenerative disc disease. Degenerative arthritis or degenerative disc disease does not necessarily mean there is disease. Frequently, degenerative disease is just a sign of aging — like wrinkles and gray hair! A worker can have X-rays full of bony spurs and narrowing of the discs without ever having had back pain. Similarly, a back X-ray can be normal but there is a lot of accompanying pain. This is why X-rays of the back as a screening tool was abandoned many years ago.One of the most frequently overlooked considerations is spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is never from an acute injury. It has developed over many years and is rarely affected by a new injury. Look in the injured employee’s medical history for a significant pain free interval after the injury. That strongly suggests that the back injury has returned to baseline and the ongoing pain is the natural progression of the underlying disease.

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