On-the-job injuries happen. Everyone’s goal is getting your worker back to pre-injury status – and back to work – as soon as possible. But physical therapy goals may not seem reasonable. In that case your injured worker may not take them seriously. Why bother, if results appear unattainable? To be reasonable, functional physical therapy goals must be custom-tailored to each employee.

For every injured worker, functional physical therapy is all about returning to work. RTW could mean full duty. Or it could mean transitioning to light or modified duty first, with fewer hours, fewer tasks or less strenuous activities. This keeps employees engaged with their job as they are healing. It also enables them to avoid re-injury by not returning to full duty too soon.

An individual return to work plan is more reasonable, because it’s personal. It’s relevant, taking into account the worker’s own job-specific tasks and working conditions. Each functional physical therapy goal should follow this formula:

• Who: the injured worker.
• Will do what: be able to perform specified movements and/or tasks.
• Under what conditions: the injured worker’s actual working environment.
• How well: consistently and as frequently as needed. They may need some type of accommodation if disability is permanent.
• By when: target RTW date is determined by the therapist, based on their knowledge of anatomy and healing, their personal experience and the patient’s current status. Interim “progress” must be clearly defined. That includes time frame as well as functional physical therapy goals.

On-site PT Removes Barriers to Recovery

Consider the situation through the eyes of your injured worker. The entire process seems more reasonable when it takes place at their worksite. It is:

• More convenient, so it’s easier to comply with their treatment schedule.
• Entirely one-on-one, so they can develop a more collaborative relationship with their therapist.
• The therapist can see for themselves the actual job environment. They can observe their patient performing real-life tasks.
• More engaging. They are attending physical therapy sessions at their own workplace. They may even be able to return to productive work part-time. That underscores their progress rather than focusing on limitations that still exist. And that helps boost your injured worker’s spirits and motivation.
• Job-specific, so employees develop confidence in their recovery. Traditionally, injured workers undergo therapy at an offsite clinic. They practice movements and positions based on simulated tasks. They may feel “better,” but they may not feel confident in their physical ability once they get back to work. Or they may experience lingering pain. If that happens, they may sidestep certain tasks or perform them only part-way.
• Faster, because it’s more efficient. With an end-date that seems reasonable, recovery feels more doable. Injured workers may be more motivated to concentrate on healing. After all, it’s in their best interest to get back to work as soon as possible, too.

Functional Physical Therapy Emphasizes Prevention

Your injured employees should have a reasonable expectation they won’t be re-injured again when they return to work. On-site physical therapy offers many advantages. One is that injured workers learn how to perform their job in a safe manner in the future. Knowing proper positions and movements helps avoid re-injury. It also makes employees more efficient and, therefore, more productive.

Physical therapy will be most effective if you keep these factors in mind and set reasonable goals for each injured worker.