Work Injuries

Have you been injured as a result of your work? At Capstone Physical Therapy, we specialize in helping injured workers. We will create a comprehensive rehabilitation program designed specifically for you and based on your job requirements. Treatment can include hand therapy, manual therapy, strengthening and flexibility exercises, functional movement training, and posture and body mechanics education. We want to help you be able to move without pain and return to work as soon as possible.

Work injuries commonly result from the following:

• Repetitive activities
• Machinery and vehicle accidents
• Falling or low-clearance objects
• Slipping, tripping, or falling down
• Overexertion, lifting, bending, carrying, reaching, pulling

Work Conditioning is a structured multidisciplinary rehabilitation program Capstone offers. The program focuses on identifying and enhancing physical abilities to enable an individual to return to work. Work conditioning also assists in the return to work process.

Program participation is typically 3-5 days per week for 4-6 weeks consisting of a combined approach of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. Individuals establish goals based on the worker’s job demand requirements.

Therapy focuses on mobility, strength, power, endurance, material handling, and positional tolerance training. Work conditioning may also include simulation of specific work-related activities and education regarding injury prevention and safe positions for work performance.

To enhance success in returning to work or maintain working ability, Ergonomic Assessments may assist in reducing stress and strain placed on the human body. Ergonomic Assessments evaluate a person’s “fit” to his or her workplace. The assessment may include recommendations on modifying workstation setup or workplace tools to best match a person’s body positioning. Therapists give suggestions to accommodate for any reduced ability for that person to successfully perform the job task.

A functional capacity evaluation (FCE) is an important tool used to determine the safe functional levels of an individual. It is used to assist with return to work planning or determine functional tolerances and abilities for future vocational planning. Testing provides a comprehensive evaluation that measures strength, endurance, material handling, physical demand work levels, and positional tolerances. Tolerances include standing, reaching, bending, stooping, kneeling, crawling, and climbing. The data gathered through this evaluation objectively defines a person’s physical capabilities.