Published by Carabin Shaw – San Antonio Personal Injury Lawyers

Shoulder, Knee, and Joint Injuries on the Job: From Strains to Surgery

Shoulder injuries, knee injuries, and other major joint injuries are among the most common and most costly work-related injuries filed with Texas workers’ compensation each year. These injuries sideline workers for weeks or months, often requiring surgery and extended rehabilitation before a return to full duty is possible. For San Antonio workers in physically demanding occupations — construction, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and warehouse operations — shoulder and knee injuries can happen in a single traumatic moment or develop over time from the cumulative strain of the job. Either way, a work injury lawyers in San Antonio can help you navigate the workers’ comp system and fight for the benefits you need to recover.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics consistently reports that shoulder and knee injuries account for significant shares of all occupational injuries resulting in days away from work. Rotator cuff tears, ACL and meniscus injuries, and labral tears require months of recovery and, in many cases, surgical repair that costs tens of thousands of dollars. San Antonio workers’ comp lawyers who handle these cases regularly know how hard insurance companies push back on joint injury claims — arguing pre-existing conditions, disputing the mechanism of injury, or seeking to limit surgical approval.

Workers in San Antonio who suffer joint injuries on the job often feel pressure to downplay their symptoms, keep working through pain, or accept a quick resolution that does not account for their true medical needs. Work injury attorneys who handle shoulder, knee, and joint injury cases know that the difference between a properly pursued claim and an inadequately handled one can mean the difference between having the surgery your injury requires and being left to cope with chronic pain and limited function.

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Common Job-Related Shoulder Injuries

Rotator Cuff Tears

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint. Repetitive overhead work, lifting, and forceful exertion can partially or completely tear these tendons. Construction workers, painters, drywall installers, mechanics, and warehouse workers who perform overhead tasks regularly are at high risk. A complete rotator cuff tear typically requires surgical repair and four to six months of rehabilitation. Partial tears may be managed conservatively initially, but many progress to require surgery.

Shoulder Labral Tears (SLAP and Bankart Tears)

The labrum is the cartilage ring that deepens the shoulder socket and stabilizes the joint. SLAP tears (superior labrum anterior to posterior) and Bankart tears from shoulder dislocations are common in workers who perform overhead or throwing motions, or who experience a sudden fall or forced arm position. These injuries cause pain, a sense of shoulder instability, and clicking or catching sensations. Labral repair surgery is often required for full recovery.

Shoulder Impingement and Bursitis

Impingement occurs when shoulder tendons are pinched between the arm bone and the top of the shoulder blade. Chronic impingement from overhead work inflames the bursa and rotator cuff tendons, causing pain that worsens with reaching. If left untreated, impingement can lead to rotator cuff tears.

Shoulder Dislocations and Fractures

Falls, being struck by equipment, and sudden forces applied to the arm can dislocate or fracture the shoulder. A first-time dislocation stretches the labrum and capsule; recurrent dislocations typically require surgical stabilization. Proximal humerus fractures are common in falls on an outstretched arm.

Common Job-Related Knee Injuries

ACL Tears

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a primary stabilizer of the knee joint. ACL tears occur during sudden pivoting, landing awkwardly, or receiving a direct blow to the knee — all scenarios that happen on construction sites, in warehouses, and in other industrial settings. ACL reconstruction surgery, followed by six to nine months of physical therapy, is the standard treatment for workers who need to return to physically demanding jobs.

Meniscus Tears

The menisci are cartilage discs in the knee that cushion the joint and distribute weight. Twisting injuries and cumulative wear from kneeling, squatting, and climbing can tear the meniscus. Meniscus tears are among the most common knee injuries in workers who kneel and squat repeatedly. Depending on the size and location of the tear, treatment ranges from physical therapy to arthroscopic surgical repair or partial removal.

Patellofemoral Syndrome and Kneecap Injuries

Overuse from repetitive kneeling, squatting, or stair climbing causes pain and inflammation around the kneecap. Flooring installers, tile setters, roofers, and other workers who spend hours on their knees are particularly vulnerable. A fractured patella from a direct blow or fall onto a hard surface requires surgical repair and extended immobilization.

Knee Ligament Injuries

In addition to the ACL, the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) can be injured in workplace accidents. Multi-ligament knee injuries are particularly serious and may require complex reconstruction surgery.

Other Joint Injuries Common in Texas Workplaces

Hip Injuries

Hip labral tears, hip bursitis, and hip fractures from falls affect workers in physically demanding jobs. Hip replacement surgery following a severe work-related fracture can require months of rehabilitation and leave workers with permanent activity restrictions.

Elbow Injuries

Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow) from repetitive gripping and forearm use are common in tool operators and assembly workers. Distal biceps tendon ruptures from heavy lifting require surgical repair.

Ankle and Foot Injuries

Falls, missteps on uneven terrain, and crushing incidents cause ankle fractures, Achilles tendon ruptures, and foot injuries that require surgery and extended non-weight-bearing recovery periods. Workers on their feet for extended shifts face elevated risk of stress fractures from cumulative impact.

Protecting Your Workers’ Comp Claim for a Joint Injury

Get an Accurate Diagnosis Early

Shoulder and knee injuries are frequently underdiagnosed by initial treating physicians who may not order MRI studies early enough. An MRI is often necessary to identify soft tissue damage — tears that do not show on X-rays. If your initial diagnosis does not match your level of symptoms, seek a specialist referral or ask your attorney to help you access appropriate diagnostic testing.

Fight for Surgical Approval

Workers’ comp insurance carriers sometimes deny or delay authorization for shoulder or knee surgery. A workers’ comp attorney can help you challenge denials through the Texas DWC’s dispute resolution process and, when necessary, a Benefit Review Conference or contested case hearing.

Pre-Existing Condition Arguments

Insurers often argue that shoulder and knee injuries reflect pre-existing degenerative changes rather than work-related injury. Texas workers’ comp law protects workers whose work-related injury aggravated or accelerated a pre-existing condition. Work injury lawyers in San Antonio build the medical record needed to demonstrate that aggravation and secure appropriate benefits.

Shoulder, knee, and joint injuries are serious work injuries that deserve thorough legal advocacy. If your workers’ comp claim for a joint injury has been delayed, denied, or undervalued, speaking with a San Antonio work injury attorney can make a decisive difference in your recovery and your financial security.