A Work Conditioning Program with Occupational Therapy

The goal of the OR 1 / Work Conditioning Program is to return injured workers safely to the work place through active rehabilitation and education. Daily treatment consists of four hours of individually structured exercise specific to the injury and work demands of the client. While participating in the program each injured worker receives:

1. Individual assessment performed by the physiotherapist – at the start, mid-way point and discharge from the program with clear documentation of the findings and functional capabilities.

2. Program orientation and goal setting – involving a tour of the clinic and gym, program objectives, participation and compliance and return to work expectations.

3. Patient education – includes group and individual education on injury mechanism, injury prevention, proper lifting and biomechanics, the role of exercise in recovery, nutrition and life style.

4. Cardiovascular exercise – tailored to the client’s starting fitness level aimed at improving cardiovascular capacity.

5. Injury specific and general strengthening – focussed on the client’s specific area, aimed at optimizing strength and endurance to enable a safe return to the work place.

6. Work simulation – created to match the client’s work demands at discharge.

7. Return to work planning – through communication with the employer, attending physician and case manager. Plans vary from full time, full duties to graduated hours with modified duties depending upon the client’s level of function at discharge.

HealthX Physical Therapy is committed to ongoing injury prevention following discharge from our care by providing clients with independent exercise routines and comprehensive education on optimal lifestyle practices. At discharge each client is invited to provide feedback through a satisfaction questionnaire to enable effective quality assurance.

The program is supervised 100 % of the time and can be modified in order to meet the specific needs of the client. Length of program varies depending upon the level of rehabilitation required and the clients usually attend 5 days per week.