Some of us have jobs that keep us on the move with a lot of physical requirements. I know I have had 5 car accidents and two were high speed, numerous fights, and hours in a car with heavy equipment and chances are in a different profession I would not be facing two surgeries with more to follow. But I will never know.....................
Yes, but it very well may be our particular biological dispositions contribute greatly. Of 100 people sharing the same set of experiences, maybe only 5 would ever face the same issues. And maybe those 5 would have those problems anyway.

The most common spine issue seen in car accidents is lumbar. The same goes for long term sitting (car). I can correlate my cervical issues to a high speed, multiple impact (neck whipping around) car accident. Maybe it promoted the condition or maybe it was the sole cause. Most of us seem to have cervical issues, which is the most common area for degenerative problems. Non-degenerative traumatic injuries - say, a compression fracture of a vertabrae - are rarely seen here.

When those discs shrink, our spines moves differently and stresses may be placed on other areas. For instance, my fusion will result in greater stress, at a minimum, to my C4 and C8/T1 levels. Likely, this will cause problems requiring more surgery in the future, given my particular circumstance. I already have problems at those levels.

My greater point was our innate need for cause/effect and explanations. Some people seek answers in church, from a psychic, a therapist, medical journals, or elsewhere. We find comfort in correlating cause/effect. In reality, people who never smoke get lung cancer. Completely healthy people - runner Jim Fixx - suffer heart attacks at an early age.

Sometimes it just happens.

...That said W/C has been b@st-ardized over the years to the point that it no longer will just treat you if you claim a work injury. You better darn well have proof! As it should be.
I know a little about WC.

Basically, irrespective of any pre-existing condition, if you suffer an injury while in the course and scope of employment, it should be covered by WC. That doesn't mean it's the "cause," BTW. WC is a "no fault" system.

There is some light at the end of the tunnel:

"... However, if patients can find a way to manage their back pain and maintain their function, the natural history is really quite favorable. With continued disc degeneration, all the inflammatory proteins within the disc space will eventually burn out, and the disc will usually become stiffer, thus decreasing micro-motion. In fact, someone who is 65 years old is actually less likely to have discogenic back pain than someone who is 35 years old."

:wave: