Four ways physical therapy can help with workplace injury prevention

There are over 2.9 million workplace injuries each year. If you work a physically intensive job, then your body sustains daily wear and tear that may lead to an injury. If you are worried about getting hurt on the job, physical therapy can help you prevent an injury. Workplace injury prevention can be achieved with specific physical therapy techniques.

Do you want to avoid sustaining an injury at work? Here are four ways physical therapy can help you with preventing workplace injuries. 

How physical therapy can help with workplace injury prevention 

If you are worried about getting injured on the job, here are four ways a physical therapist can help you get to work with confidence: 

• Physical therapy for workplace injury prevention — Every job has unique demands. A physical therapist can recommend specific therapeutic exercises to help strengthen your muscles; this can reduce daily strain at work. Strength training can also help reduce tension in the joints that are put under a lot of stress during high-intensity jobs. A physical therapist can also show you effective stretching techniques. By stretching daily, you can remain flexible while working. 

• Functional capacity evaluations — Are you worried about performing specific tasks at work? A physical therapist can perform a functional capacity evaluation. This tests for the presence of any musculoskeletal issues. You may have an injury or underlying condition that is causing you pain at work, in which case you and your employer need to know about it. 

• Work hardening programs — If you have already injured yourself at work, then physical therapy can still help. Work hardening programs can simulate your normal work environment. In this controlled environment, you can perform the same actions that you might at work with professional guidance. Here you can strengthen your muscles in a controlled manner. Your physical therapist may also evaluate your working posture to ensure that you’re operating with proper form. This is meant to reduce the strain on your joints caused by poor posture while working. 
• Ergonomic assessment and training — A physical therapist can assess posture, body mechanics, and positioning of your workspace to address issues from chronic postural deficits and help you to move in a more efficient way that reduces your risk of injury.

Advent Physical Therapy is ready to help you return to work with confidence

Injuring yourself on the job can pose serious problems if it makes getting back to work difficult. Our physical therapists at Advent Physical Therapy are experts in workplace injury prevention. However, if you have already hurt yourself at work, we have you covered. We are prepared to build you a personalized work hardening program that treats your injury and helps you get back to work sooner.

Contact our team today for more information about workplace injury prevention or to schedule an initial appointment.