How Physical Therapy Can Help with Returning to Work
Many of us have dealt with an acute injury or chronic pain that made it painful to work or maybe even resulted in time off work. Whether you work a desk job or are on your feet all day, a physical therapist can help restore function needed to perform job tasks more effectively with less pain.
During your initial evaluation, the physical therapist will ask you the history of your current injury or condition, including what types of tasks and activities you perform at work. If you mention your injury impacting these work tasks, the therapist can incorporate this into your plan of care and goals. The therapist will determine what is contributing to difficulty with work tasks including lack of range of motion, sensation, or strength.
What will I be doing during treatment?
- Education of proper workstation desk setup and computer ergonomics
- Education on proper lifting postures and technique
- Education of workplace modifications to reduce chance of reinjury
- Prescription of individualized home exercise program to improve ability to perform work tasks
- Performance of exercises and activities in the clinic that are designed to decrease pain and improve function in order to allow for you to better perform job tasks
- Interventions designed to decrease pain and facilitate the treatment including soft tissue massage, ice, heat, and electrical stimulation.
Depending on what your job requires, the therapist will include exercises to improve your ability to perform these tasks. Some of the tasks may include the following:
- Squatting
- Pushing and pulling
- Lifting and carrying
- Overhead reaching
- Climbing ladders or stairs
How can I get started?
Call one of our locations. Our staff can schedule an appointment for you and determine if a doctor’s prescription is required.
