A recent article in the New York Times, “Distance Runners are a Paradox for Insurers,” discussed the injuries from the physical impact of long distance running and how insurance carriers are reacting. The article points to the fact that long distance runners are more prone to injuries, citing a study showed the lower extremity injury rate for long distance runners was 79%! The reason for this is repetitive stress on runners bodies from running extremely long distances, such as the 26.2 mile course in the recent New York City Marathon. Insurers promote running as a health lifestyle choice, but use that same concept to deny coverage in some cases.

The article points out that insurer promote running as a healthy lifestyle choice, but do not want to provide coverage for injuries caused by running. Many of the younger runners suffered an injury at some point and when they try to obtain insurance they were denied due to a pre-existing injury. Basically, insurers want it both ways; they want people to run, just not so much that the running causes more health problems.  

The same concept of the repetitive strain from long distance running applies to repetitive activities at work. Repetitive Stress injuries are prevalent in the workplace, because performing the same activity over and over causes a physical injury. Not surprisingly, insurance companies do not want to cover these types of injuries either. Your private health insurance won’t pay for injuries caused by work and workers’ compensation carriers will generally deny that your work causes the injury. This means you’re stuck in the middle. I represent many workers’ who have been injured as a result of repetitive stress at work and can assist you in obtaining medical treatment and out of work benefits for these injuries.