Work Place Injuries/WSIB
Reduce Recovery Time and Return to Work: Treat Your Work Injury With Physiotherapy
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.
At Elite Physiotherapy Clinic and Total Health Link, we can assist you with this. Physiotherapy plays a key role in helping people recover from their work injuries, especially since treatment plans are often covered under workers’ compensation insurance. If you have been injured at work and you are looking for relief, contact our Burlington physiotherapy office today to find out how our specialized services can help you reduce your recovery time and return to work!
Work injuries explained:
You may be wondering, “what qualifies as a work injury?” Essentially, any injury, ailment, or illness that is sustained while an employee is on the job can be defined as a work injury. Depending on your occupation, you may be at a higher risk of sustaining a work injury than others, if you work in potentially dangerous situations. 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. According to MoveForwardPT, physiotherapy is also a more cost-effective treatment option.
The 5 most common work injuries:
There are numerous work injuries that can be sustained across occupations, but the 5 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. Strains affect the tendons in your body while sprains affect the ligaments. These occur when the tendons or ligaments are stretched beyond their limits, due to a sudden trauma, such as falling off a ladder or repetitive motions. They can also occur as a result of improper use of equipment.
- 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 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 physiotherapy:
Whatever injury you may have sustained on the job, physiotherapy has been known to be a quick, effective, and successful treatment method. Our Burlington physiotherapists use the most advanced treatment methods aimed at relieving pain, improving mobility, and promoting overall healing. At your consultation, your physiotherapist 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 your physiotherapist deems fit, including ultrasound, ice and heat therapy, electrical stimulation, or laser technology.
Your physiotherapist will also provide you with helpful techniques for proper performance while on the job, in order to avoid further injury in the future. Physiotherapy 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 surgical intervention! If you are suffering from a work injury, contact Elite Physiotherapy Clinic or Total Health Link today in Burlington, ON. We understand how stressful being away from work can be, and our goal is to help you return as quickly as possible!