> The Work Center
> Back to Work Program
> Injury Prevention Program
> Staff & Referrals

The Back-to-Work Rehabilitation Program is designed to safely return the acutely injured person to work as quickly as possible. The first step to recovery is an immediate evaluation of the injured worker by a licensed Physical Therapist or Occupational Therapist. A focused, work-oriented program will then be designed to rebuild the worker's capabilities through Acute Injury Management, Work Simulation, and/or Work Conditioning. Through the program, our therapists will monitor the worker's progress and assist the physician in determining work status. Medical management complements the therapeutic process.

To lessen acute symptoms, the PT or OT will educate the worker on managing symptoms utilizing traditional therapeutic modalities and exercise. This may include our Aquatic Therapy Program, which uses the properties of water to decrease the effect of gravity on the body. As a result, exercise can often be introduced sooner than on land, condensing rehabilitation time.

Used in conjunction with acute injury management, work simulation can help the injured worker begin to build confidence performing work-related tasks. Exercises simulate the movements required by a particular job.

Strictly for the recently injured, work conditioning is a short-term, task-oriented program using real and simulated work activities as treatment. The goal is to quickly and safely return an injured worker to work through an aggressive, focused approach. As a result, worker's compensation costs, return to work time, and re-injury rates can be greatly reduced.

Work conditioning also incorporates physical conditioning, aquatic therapy, instruction in body mechanics, and safe work practices. To ensure continued progress, a person's capabilities and level of function are monitored on an ongoing basis, including biweekly reassessments to determine work capabilities.

During therapy, real and simulated work tasks are performed in our dedicated Work Rehabilitation Center. Here, workers can practice the actual tasks they will be performing when they return to the job. This well-equipped facility includes stations for a wide variety of real-world work situations, including:

• Lifting station
  
• Material handling station
  
• Computer station
  
• Sand pit and shovels
  
• Manual conveyor belt
  
• Assembly areas
  
• Painting station
  
• Janitorial work station
  

< back