Workplace Accidents: Injuries to Your Leg, Ankle, Knee or Foot

Whether it is due to a fall or repetitive movements, injuries on the job can often affect a worker’s leg, thigh, knee, ankle, or foot.

• Broken Bones in the Leg, Foot or Toes

The femur, the biggest bone in the entire body, is able to support over 25 times the weight of an average adult. Still, femur bones can break. The lower legs each have three bones, the patella, tibia and fibula, which are also at risk for trauma-related fracture. About 10% of all broken bones suffered are foot fractures. The feet are actually made up of more than twenty bones and are often in vulnerable situations or unprotected. When walking at work, especially if you are carrying something, or are distracted by the activity around you, it is very easy to accidently kick a hard object and break your toe(s).

• Sprains to Toes, Ankles, Ligaments and Tendons

Any joint in the body can be sprained, but the most common ligament sprains include sprained ankles, high ankle sprains, and toe sprains. Spraining a ligament or tendon can happen very quickly. Leg ligament sprains are common while working due to long hours, repetitive motions and the need to continually do a job faster. The most common ways employees hurt their leg ligaments while on the job include: tripping, falling, lifting heavy objects, accidents with work, factory, farm or construction equipment, and stopping or rotating too quickly.

• Knee Sprains and Other Types of Knee Injuries

Knee ligament sprains and tears are common at work, as are or strained anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprains, medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprains, lateral collateral ligament (LCL) sprains, posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) sprains, or patellar tendon (PTL) injuries. These knee problems can happen due to slipping on wet surfaces at the jobsite, and even just walking up and down the stairs at your workplace. Thousands of Pennsylvania workers suffer with knee injuries, which can cause life-long pain, reduced mobility, and medical bills that are often difficult to pay. Other common knee injuries include tendonitis, cysts, dislocated kneecaps, bursitis, and aggravations of preexisting degenerative join disease (DJD) which may also be compensable.

Other foot, ankle, leg, knee, or thigh injuries that can occur due to the nature of your job or an accident at the workplace are chondromalacia, medial meniscus tear, plantar fasciitis, fractured patella, stress fractures, and crush injuries. The end result of some of these injuries could range from chronic moderate pain to total knee replacement surgery.

If your knee, leg, foot or toe injury was caused by an accident at work, you will be entitled to Workers’ Compensation benefits. Even if your injury has worsened slowly over time because of repetitive motions on the job, it may well become a compensable chronic condition because of the arthritis and joint stiffness that develops over time. The Media PA Workers’ Compensation attorneys at Schmidt, Kirifides & Fridkin help workers investigate the validity of a claim for benefits so that they can seek medical attention, treat the symptoms, and rehabilitate the knee without the additional worry of medical bills and costly chronic pain management.

Whether your injury occurs at your job in Berks County, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia County, or any Pennsylvania county, please call 610.892.9300 for a free consultation about your case today. The Media Pa Workers’ Compensation attorneys at Schmidt, Kirifides & Fridkin will be happy to help you assess your benefits claim for a leg, knee, ankle or foot injury.