4 Tips For A Successful Work Conditioning Program

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that over 2.8 million worker compensation claims are filed annually. Many of the people who get hurt on the job will likely experience physical therapy for some period of time. The severity of the injury and the length of time you are away from your job will help determine if you are a candidate for going into a Work Conditioning Program.

So, what is Work Conditioning? Work Conditioning is similar to acute work comp physical therapy in that your therapist will address any strength and endurance deficits you have to return to work safely. The amount of time you will be at each session and the amount of hands-on guidance from your physical therapist may vary Work conditioning sessions can last between 4.5-5 hours. The sessions will include some of the activities you did during your acute workers comp physical therapy and job specific activities. Work Conditioning aims to improve strength and endurance so that you can return to a full day of work at full duty.

So, what are some tips to ensure that your work conditioning program goes smoothly?

1. Be Aware of Your Expectations

These sessions are treated as if you were going to work. Be on time for your appointments and be prepared to work hard.

2. Ask Questions During Your Evaluation and First Session

Your therapist will print out a packet of exercises to be performed during your session and a check-off sheet to help you navigate it.

3. Take Your Time and Focus on Form

You will be at your appointments for approximately 4.5-5 hours. Many of the exercises will either be on circuits with a fixed time you will be doing them or have an estimated time of completion. If you are finishing too quickly, it lets us know you may need to increase resistance.

4. Work Your Way Up

For your lifting activities, you are expected to increase the resistance of ground-to-floor weights by 10 pounds each week until you reach your work-specific goals.

Work conditioning is another tool to help you get back to performing your essential job functions faster and more safely. For more information on work conditioning, reach out to your current physical therapist or local Athletico clinic to connect with our team. To learn more, please visit www.athletico.com/EmployerSolutions.

The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.

References:
1. https://www.simplyinsurance.com/how-many-workers-comp-claims-per-year/#:~:text=There%20were%20over%205%2C000%20fatalities,both%20private%20and%20government%20employees.
2. https://www.bls.gov/iif/#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20employers%20reported%202.8,to%20460%2C700%20cases%20in%202022.