Top 5 Most Googled Injuries in the U.S.

A new study shows what workers are worried about.

Shot Of A Warehouse Worker Has Work Related Accident He Is Falling Down Before Trying To Pick Up Heavy Cardboard Box From The Shelf Hard Injury At Work 1284193571 1369x770 (1)

A new study has revealed the top five most Googled injuries across the U.S. The study is by Chicago-based personal injury law firm, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers and their analysis of 2022 Google data. 

1. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome 

Coming in at number one is carpal tunnel syndrome, with 222,623 Google searches a month on average in the U.S. Carpal tunnel syndrome is pressure on a nerve on the wrist that causes pain and numbness in the hand and fingers. According to the National Library of Medicine, carpal tunnel surgery is the most common wrist and hand surgery in the U.S., with over 400,000 procedures per year, and relatively high costs of over $2 billion annually.  

There are also disability benefits available for people that have been diagnosed with carpal tunnel,. You may qualify if the symptoms are severe enough to interfere with your ability to work.  

2. Bursitis 

With only two percent fewer searches than carpal tunnel syndrome, number two on the list is bursitis, with an average of 217,089 searches per month. The injury symptoms include joint pain and swelling and can also be associated with jobs that require repetitive movements or prolonged pressure on joints. Florida has an average of 16,175 searches a month for bursitis, which is the highest number of searches out of all the states for the injury.   

3. Shin Splints 

In third place is shin splints with 215,527 searches a month on average, it can cause tenderness or pain along the inner side of your shinbone and mild swelling in your lower leg, and it is usually caused by exercise. The state with the highest searches for shin splints was California with 28,783 searches a month on average, making up a total of 13 percent of the searches for shin splints across the U.S. 

4. Muscle Strain 

At number four is muscle strain with 171,305 searches a month on average. Acute strains can be caused by a singular event, such as using incorrect or poor body posture to lift something heavy. Chronic muscle strains can result from stressing a muscle by repeating the same motion. Franklin Square claims that strained muscle injuries account for up to 55 percent of all sporting injuries, and strained muscle injuries are very highly common.   

5. Concussion 

Finally, in the U.S.’s fifth most googled injury is a concussion with an average of 140,505 searches a month. Concussion is a mild form of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research shows that the most common cause of concussion is from a fall, firearm-related injury, vehicle crash, or an assault. However, falls lead to nearly half of the hospitalizations caused by concussions.  

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2020 there was an estimated 1.8 million workers in the U.S. that had work-related injuries, and had to be treated in emergency departments.

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