Workers' Comp Physical Therapy: Post-Injury
Accelerate the recovery process and get back to feeling your best — with JAG PT Industrial Rehabilitation post-injury physical therapy. When you get hurt on the job, it can disrupt your life quite a bit. Not only are you out of work, but you have to deal with the pain of your injury. You can recuperate from such injuries more quickly and surely with a rehab program run by an experienced physical therapist.
At JAG PT, our professional physical therapists are knowledgeable and experienced to deal with various types of workers' compensation treatment.
(We can also help if you’re an employer looking for employee fitness and injury prevention programs or post-offer employment testing.)
Post-Injury Physical Therapy Services
At any of our over 100 locations, an injured worker can expect the following services:
- Full consultation to determine a treatment plan
- A therapy team to create a home exercise plan
- Physical therapy for you to recover from your injury and rebuild muscle strength, so you can perform your job again
When patients work with JAG PT, we implement programs and exercises that are suitable for their individual situations. Our goal is to help patients make progress toward a full recovery and return to work.
Early Access to Physical Therapy
Starting physical therapy shortly after a muscular skeletal or neuro muscular injury will help you get on the surest and most successful road to recovery. Medical research shows that when workers go to physical therapy shortly after an injury, they can reduce their risk of muscle atrophy and nerve issues. You’re also likely to heal quickly, experience less pain, and return to work sooner.
“Fit-for-Duty” Testing
The definition of this type of exam matches its name — it assesses fitness for specific work duties. This test is performed when someone who has been away from their job for a while, due to an injury or illness, is ready to return. Testing allows employers to make sure their returning employee’s performance isn't impacted by their injury or illness. For this reason, the test may assess both physical and mental abilities.
Employers rely on fit-for-duty exams (or fit-for-duty tests) to make sure their workers can safely perform specific jobs. Fit-for-duty exams can be performed for employees who are working or who are returning to work, and they are an essential element of workplace safety and safe resumption of work. When fit-for-duty exams are performed for return to work, they are often called “return-to-work exams”. An employer may want a fit-for-duty exam for an employee who is completing treatment and is ready to return to work after a non-work-related serious illness or injury. The information captured on a return-to-work application assists employers in understanding if the employee can safely perform their job again and if they can return to work without risking re-injury.
Sometimes employers may worry that an employee’s medical condition makes it unsafe for them to perform their job. A fit-for-duty exam determines if the employee is physically able to safely perform their current role. These specialized exams are typically reserved for more labor-intensive roles and the parts of the assessment are unique to each employer and their positions. Each fit-for-duty exam must be based on specific tasks from the job description, in compliance with ADA guidelines. This may include lifting heavy objects overhead, crouching and bending for prolonged periods of time, maneuvering into small spaces, handling hazardous or flammable liquids, and any other job task that has some safety concern associated with it.
Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) Screening
A functional capacity evaluation is performed by an occupational or physical therapist. This screening test is designed to see whether you’re capable of returning to work, and it includes a series of physical tests. It will determine whether you can manage the workload that you had been doing before. The tests are designed to evaluate your abilities as compared to the duties you have to perform. Some questions the tests will try to answer include:
Workers' Compensation Physical Therapy with JAG PT
When dealing with a workers' compensation injury, begin the road to recovery by reaching out to a certified, professional physical therapist. At JAG Physical Therapy, our therapists understand injuries from a variety of causes, and our team understands the many ways physical therapy can heal your body. You can be confident in a recovery that's not only expedient but also done right, to help ensure lasting strength and wellness.
To request workers' compensation treatment with a certified JAG PT physical therapist, please complete a form or contact a JAG Physical Therapy location near you.