The incident happened on the section that runs from the southbound carriageway of the M6 onto the M5.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “The man, who was in his 40’s had bent down to pick up a nail when he suffered a muscle spasm in his back that was excruciatingly painful.
“As if being unable to move wasn’t bad enough, the man was on a platform almost 10 metres off the ground.”
The man was placed into a stretcher then lowered to the ground in a cherry picker.
He was taken to Sandwell Hospital for further treatment.
The victim is lowered to the ground in a cherry picker. Pictures courtesy of West Midlands Ambulance service