(Rebound Physical Therapy’s work injury site | Photo Courtesy of Rebound Physical Therapy)
If you work a physically demanding job, you are probably familiar with the minor aches and pains that come along with manual work. But occasionally, you may get seriously injured on the job and require medical treatment and/or time off from work.
Obviously, when it comes to workplace injuries, prevention is the best medicine. Sometimes, employees lack the strength, posture and/or proper lifting mechanics needed for their job — especially for high-risk tasks. Luckily, Rebound Physical Therapy offers great resources to both help employers mitigate the risk of work place injuries and treat employees if an on-the-job injury does occur. Physical therapy is a natural, convenient and cost-effective way to prevent and treat work-related injuries. In many cases, it eliminates the need for further — potentially harmful — interventions such as prescription pain medication and surgery.
Overexertion injuries are common in jobs that require lifting heavy objects, lowering, bending and repetitive stress on the body. These injuries often include low back muscle strains, rotator cuff (shoulder) muscle tears and wrist tendonitis. Slips, trips and falls on the job can also cause injury — whether from sliding on a wet floor or falling off of a high ladder. Those who sit at a desk all day aren’t immune to getting injured at work — simply sitting for long periods can lead to back and neck pain and dysfunction.
Physical therapy plays a key role in helping people recover from occupational injuries, and treatment plans are often covered under worker’s compensation insurance. PT’s are trained to work with patients to restore mobility, strength and activity following an injury, allowing employees to return to work as quickly and safely as possible.
At Rebound Physical Therapy, several PT’s in Bend and Redmond have specialized training in work-related injury prevention and treatment, and are authorized by the state to administer tests such as Physical Capacity Evaluations (PCEs) and Work Capacity Evaluations (WCEs) to determine a patient’s physical readiness to resume working.
Rebound’s Work Injury Program offers pre-employment screenings to determine if a prospective employee is physically able to perform the job they have been hired to do. Each screening is individualized to meet the needs of the employer.
To learn more about Rebound’s Work Injury Program, visit reboundoregon.com/work-injury-program or email Andy Herriott (aherriott@reboundoregon.com).
