Sedentary Work Exerting up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and other sedentary criteria are met.

Light Work Exerting up to 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of force frequently, and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. Light Work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree. However, if the use of the arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most the time, the job is rated Light Work.

Medium Work Exerting up to 50 (22.7 kg) pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 25 pounds (11.3 kg) of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of forces constantly to move objects.

Heavy Work Exerting up to 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds (22.7 kg) of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force constantly to move objects.

Very Heavy Work Exerting in excess of 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of force occasionally, and/or in excess of 50 pounds (22.7 kg) of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force constantly to move objects.

Job Classification

In most duration tables, five job classifications are displayed. These job classifications are based on the amount of physical effort required to perform the work. The classifications correspond to the Strength Factor classifications described in the United States Department of Labor's Dictionary of Occupational Titles. The following definitions are quoted directly from that publication.

Sedentary Work Exerting up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and other sedentary criteria are met.

Light Work Exerting up to 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of force frequently, and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Sedentary Work. Light Work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree. However, if the use of the arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most the time, the job is rated Light Work.

Medium Work Exerting up to 50 (22.7 kg) pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 25 pounds (11.3 kg) of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of forces constantly to move objects.

Heavy Work Exerting up to 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds (22.7 kg) of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force constantly to move objects.

Very Heavy Work Exerting in excess of 100 pounds (45.4 kg) of force occasionally, and/or in excess of 50 pounds (22.7 kg) of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of force constantly to move objects.

Fracture


Related Terms

  • Bone Break
  • Compound Fracture
  • Crack Fracture
  • Failed-union Fracture
  • Greenstick Fracture
  • Malunion Fracture
  • March Fracture
  • Nonunion Fracture
  • Occult Fracture
  • Open Fracture
  • Split Fracture
  • Stress Fracture

Differential Diagnoses

Specialists

  • Occupational Therapist
  • Orthopedic (Orthopaedic) Surgeon
  • Physiatrist
  • Physical Therapist

Comorbid Conditions

Factors Influencing Duration

The bone(s) involved, location, and severity of fracture affect disability as do dominant versus non-dominant side involvement, weight-bearing status, type of immobility device, treatment method, and associated complications.

Medical Codes

ICD-9-CM:
733.1 - Pathologic Fracture; Spontaneous Fracture; Chronic fracture
767.2 - Birth Trauma; Fracture of Clavicle
800 - Fracture of Vault of Skull, Includes Parietal and Frontal Bone
801 - Fracture of Base of Skull; Anterior; Middle; Posterior; Occiput Bone; Orbital Roof; Ethmoid; Frontal; Sphenoid Bone; Temporal Bone
802 - Fracture, Face Bones
802.0 - Fracture, Nasal Bones, Closed
802.1 - Fracture, Nasal Bones, Open
802.2 - Fracture of Mandible, Closed, Inferior Maxilla; Lower Jaw (Bone)
803 - Other and Unqualified Skull Fractures
804 - Multiple Fractures involving Skull or Face with Other Bones
805 - Fracture of Vertebral Column without Mention of Spinal Cord Injury
806 - Fracture of Vertebral Column with Spinal Cord Injury
807.0 - Closed Fracture of Rib(s)
807.1 - Open Fracture of Rib(s)
808 - Fracture, Pelvis
810 - Fracture, Clavicle
811 - Fracture, Scapula (Shoulder Blades)
812 - Fracture of Humerus
812.0 - Closed Fracture of Upper End of Humerus
812.1 - Open Fracture of Upper End of Humerus
812.2 - Closed Fracture of Unspecified Part of Humerus
812.3 - Open Fracture of Shaft or Unspecified Part of Humerus
812.4 - Closed Fracture of Humerus, Distal End; Closed Fracture of Elbow
812.5 - Open Fracture of Lower End of Humerus
813 - Fracture of Radius and Ulna
813.0 - Fracture of Upper End of Radius and Ulna, Closed; Proximal End
813.1 - Open Fracture of Radius and Ulna, Upper End
813.2 - Closed Fracture of Shaft of Radius and Ulna
813.3 - Fracture, Radius and Ulna, Shaft, Open
813.4 - Closed Fracture of Lower End of Forearm
813.5 - Fracture, Lower End of Forearm, Open
813.8 - Closed Fracture of Unspecified Part of Radius with Ulna
813.9 - Open Fracture of Unspecified Part of Radius with Ulna
814 - Fracture of Carpal Bone(s)
815 - Fracture of Metacarpal Bone(s)
816 - Fracture, Phalanges of Hand (One or More)
820 - Fracture of Neck of Femur
821 - Fracture of Femur, Other and Unspecified Parts
822.0 - Closed Fracture of Patella
822.1 - Open Fracture of Patella
823.0 - Closed Fracture of Upper End of Tibia or Fibula
823.1 - Open Fracture of Upper End of Tibia or Fibula
823.2 - Closed Fracture of Shaft of Tibia or Fibula
823.3 - Open Fracture of Shaft of Tibia or Fibula
823.8 - Closed Fracture of Tibia and Fibula, Unspecified Part
823.9 - Open Fracture of Tibia and Fibula, Unspecified Part
824 - Fracture of Ankle
824.0 - Closed Fracture of Medial Malleolus: Closed Fracture of Tibia Involving Ankle, Malleolus
824.1 - Open Fracture of Medial Malleolus
824.2 - Closed Fracture of Lateral Malleolus
824.3 - Open Fracture of Lateral Malleolus
824.4 - Closed Bimalleolar Fracture; Potts Fracture
824.5 - Open Bimalleolar Fracture
824.6 - Closed Trimalleolar Fracture
824.7 - Open Trimalleolar Fracture
825 - Fracture of Tarsal and Metatarsal Bones, One or More
825.0 - Closed Fracture of Calcaneus (Heel Bone)
825.1 - Open Fracture of Calcaneus (Heel Bone)
826.0 - Closed Fracture of Phalanges of Foot, One or More
826.1 - Open Fracture of Phalanges of Foot, One or More

Definition

© Reed Group
A fracture is a structural break and disruption in a bone of any size or shape. A fracture occurs when force is applied to a bone in an amount greater than it can support. The amount of force required to cause a fracture depends on the composition and strength of the bone. The force may be a direct force, as from a blow (direct trauma) or a motor vehicle accident, a twisting force, or repeated pounding on the same bone. Repeated impact and loading on an area of bone (e.g., prolonged marching, running) can cause a break referred to as a stress fracture. Fractures also can occur because of diseases that affect the strength of the bone (e.g., osteopenia, osteoporosis, bone tumors) or the protective structures around it (pathological fractures).

Fractures vary with the number of bone fragments affected and their position. All fractures are described in terms of five categories: location of the bone in the body (anatomic location), direction of the fracture lines (i.e., transverse, oblique, spiral, comminuted, impacted), the relation of the bone pieces to each other (alignment and apposition), the stability of the fracture, and the amount of soft tissue damage around the fracture (i.e., simple or closed, compound or open, complicated or uncomplicated). An open or compound fracture is one where the fractured bone end pierces the skin; a greenstick fracture is one where the fracture is only on one side of the bone but the other side of the bone is caused to bend; a comminuted fracture is one where the bone has broken into three or more fragments ("Fractures"). Muscles attached to the bones involved often pull the fracture fragments out of position, especially if the muscles spasm. This can change the status of a fracture from one where the fragments have not shifted out of position (nondisplaced) to one where they have become displaced.

Risk: Individuals of advanced age, individuals exposed to falls and/or objects falling on them, those who experience a motor vehicle accident, as well as individuals involved in high-risk activities performed with high-impact or at high-velocity are at increased risk for fractures.

Individuals who participate in sports activities that involve running, jumping, and sprinting have a higher risk for stress fractures, since the force of each running step is at least three times that of the individual's body weight (DeLee). Individuals with a genetic predisposition to rigid, high-arched feet (pes cavus), those with a leg length discrepancy that imparts greater stresses to the longer leg, those with a hallux valgus deformity or a longer second ray (Morton's foot), and those with pronounced hip external rotation are also at increased risk for a lower extremity stress fracture (DeLee).

Individuals with inflammatory bowel disease have a 40% greater incidence of fracture than the general population (Berstein 759).

Older individuals with a heightened risk of fracture include those with history of prior fracture or a fall within the previous 12 months and those with low bone mineral density, quadriceps weakness, or postural instability. Women with osteoporosis are 1.6 times more likely to sustain a fracture than men with osteoporosis, although 50% of all fractures occur in individuals without osteoporosis (Nguyen).

Source: Medical Disability Advisor






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