Even with every precaution taken, injuries in the workplace can still happen. In fact, 2.6 million non-fatal work-related injuries occurred in 2021 in the US. You may be wondering if you’re injured on the job and the injury requires physical therapy, if you need a workers’ compensation doctor’s approval, or if you can just go to physical therapy. The answer is yes – you have to go through a workers’ compensation doctor.
There is a process to follow in order for workers’ compensation to cover your injury care. Even small injuries can become serious if left untreated. If you are injured on the job, get medical attention promptly and be sure to inform your employer. After seeing a medical provider, further care may be needed. To continue workers’ compensation coverage, and your provider isn’t in the network for Washington state, you will need to see a different provider who is a workers’ compensation doctor. This provider may then recommend physical therapy for your recovery.
To help make sure workers’ compensation covers your physical therapy care, make sure you file your workers’ compensation claim after your injury occurs. There is typically a timeline cutoff, so make sure you submit it in time. Your employer is responsible for providing you with all of the workers’ compensation paperwork you will need. As you recover, keep your employer in the loop to help your case. If necessary, you can contact a workers’ compensation attorney to help you with paperwork or if your case is denied.
Why go to physical therapy after a workplace injury?
Some workplace injuries are bad enough that they need continued treatment after being checked out by a workers’ compensation doctor. Your workers’ compensation doctor may recommend you seek physical therapy to ease pain or any other complications you may be experiencing from your injury. Physical therapy can be an integral part of workplace injury recovery. If your workers’ compensation doctor refers you to physical therapy, it is best if you follow the prescribed treatment to aid your recovery. A physical therapist can work with you to help restore your physical capabilities to your pre-injury level.
Some workplace injuries physical therapy may help:
- Concussions
- Herniated discs
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Wrist sprains
- Lower back sprains/strains
- Ankle sprains
- Whiplash
- Shoulder strains
- Fractures
- Tendon tears
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
A physical therapist will come up with an individualized plan to treat your injury and help educate you on any at-home care you may need to do as well.
Techniques used to help workplace injuries
The goal of physical therapy prescribed by a workers’ compensation doctor is to get you back to work as soon as possible while working to ensure you recover properly from your injury. Your physical therapist may use one or a combination of techniques to best help your recovery.
These techniques can include:
- Manual therapy — Manual therapy is a physical therapy hands-on specialty used to treat injuries involving the soft tissue and joints. Manual therapy helps reduce inflammation and pain and can help return your range of motion.
- Electrical stimulation — Electrical stimulation uses currents to stimulate different nerves in a variety of ways. It can help with pain reduction.
- Ultrasound — Ultrasound uses sound waves to treat bone, muscle, and ligament injuries. Sound waves cause heat-generating vibrations to help promote healing.
- Work hardening — Work hardening is designed to help you get back in proper shape to return to work. Starting at a light-duty level, your physical therapist will help you work back up to your regular workload.
- Therapeutic exercises — Therapeutic exercises are a variety of exercises designed to help you regain strength, flexibility, balance, endurance, and stability.
- Cupping — Cupping is a technique that aims to promote relaxation and blood flow which can help promote healing.
You may also use heat and cold therapy at home as prescribed by your physical therapist to best suit your recovery needs. It is important to follow all guidelines your workers’ compensation doctor or a physical therapist gives you.
Whatcom Physical Therapy can help you navigate workers’ compensation physical therapy for workplace injuries
Our Whatcom Physical Therapy team is ready to help you recover from your workplace injury. Our worker’s compensation referral patients will receive excellent care from our well-trained expert physical therapists.
We proudly offer services in our facility of innovative therapeutic technology. Our team will design an individualized plan for you to promote your best healing.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
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