Work Place Injuries: How to Reduce Recovery Time and Return to Work

Is your work injury limiting you from returning to work or functioning at your full potential?

Work-related injuries or ailments can cause both mental and monetary distress, especially if you are unsure how long your recovery period will be. It is important to make sure that you have a proper rehabilitation plan set in place that will get you back to work as quickly as possible.

Physical therapy plays a key role in helping people recover from their work injuries, especially since treatment plans are often covered under workers’ compensation insurance.

Work injuries explained:

Just as driving carelessly or above the speed limit can cause automobile accidents, when you combine too many repetitive motions with hectic schedules and the desire to prove yourself, it is a recipe for injury. There are several other specific causes of work-related injuries.

Tripping, slipping, and falling often leads to injuries on the job. Sometimes distractions or overexertion will play a role in injuries as well.

You could be asking, “What is considered a work injury?” A work injury is defined as any harm that a worker gets on the job. You may be at a greater risk of suffering a work injury than other people if you operate in potentially hazardous environments.

For example, construction, police work, and nursing are fields that obtain a heightened risk of work-related injuries.

However, even occupations that you may not consider to pose potentially dangerous situations can lead to pain or injury.

Let’s say you have a job in an office. You may not think you’re at risk of developing a work injury, but sitting in the same position for prolonged periods of time can take a toll on your body.

People who work in offices or factories are also prone to repetitive motion injuries, due to the fact that their jobs require constant repetition. If you happen to get hurt at work, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible, since almost any type of injury left untreated may become more severe over time.

Physical therapy is a more cost-effective solution to workplace injuries. There are several types of injuries that you may get during your job. The following are just a few examples of the most prevalent workplace ailments.

The 5 most common work injuries:

There are numerous work injuries that can be sustained across occupations, but some of the most common types of work injuries include:

• Back pain. The most commonly reported source of pain is back pain. Back injuries are typically caused by rotating or twisting the back in an incorrect way. This can develop from several work-related activities, such as sitting at a desk for the entire workday, putting too much force on your back, or repeatedly lifting heavy items.
• Tendinitis. Excessive repetitive movements of the same body part(s) can cause tendinitis to develop. Symptoms typically include pain, swelling, and tenderness. This condition most commonly occurs in the shoulders, elbows, and knees.
• Strains and sprains. Sprains and strains are two forms of muscular damage caused by overuse. Overuse strains affect the tendons, while overexposure to cold affects the ligaments. Strains and sprains are both caused when a tendon or ligament is stretched past its limit as a result of a sudden force, such as falling off a ladder or making repetitive
• Carpal tunnel syndrome. When the median nerve in the wrist becomes compressed, carpal tunnel syndrome occurs. This typically happens as a result of repetitive motions, such as assembly line work or excessive typing. According to Harvard Health, it is necessary to seek treatment for this condition as soon as possible, in order to avoid long-term nerve damage.
• Auto accidents. There is always a risk of sustaining an injury from an automobile accident, especially if you work in a job that requires the use of a vehicle. Work-related auto accidents can result in injuries ranging from mild cuts and abrasions to broken bones and severe whiplash.

Treating your work injury with physical therapy:

No matter how many precautions a company may take, work injuries still occur. From strains and pulled muscles caused by heavy lifting to repetitive motion injuries in the office, every job has certain risks. Work presents unique opportunities to sustain an injury.

You spend a lot of time at work, probably doing the same things many times per day.

At your consultation, our physical therapists will perform a physical evaluation to determine the best course of treatment for your specific needs.

From there, an individualized treatment plan will be designed to help you recover as quickly as possible. Treatments may include any specialized method our physical therapist deems fit, including ultrasound, ice and heat therapy, electrical stimulation, or laser technology. Physical therapy is a safe, easy, and natural way to quickly recover from your work injury.

In fact, in many cases, PT treatments have even been known to eliminate the need for harmful pain-management drugs or even the need for surgical intervention!

There are several specific techniques a physical therapist may use during your course of treatment. These might include massage therapy, ice/heat therapy, ultrasound technology, and electrical stimulation. Physical therapy can help you regain your strength and flexibility after an injury.

In addition to conservative treatment, a physical therapist may utilize various modalities, such as ultrasound therapy or soft-tissue massage, in order to correct the problem.

Physical therapy also goes beyond this in order to educate you on how to avoid additional injuries by practicing healthy movement habits. It might take some time to learn how to do your task without injuring.