Injury management education helps workers understand their condition, gives them confidence to know what they can safely do and boosts their rehabilitation, often resulting in earlier return to duties.
Education is unique and tailored to each worker:
- Consultation involves a detailed history to understand the diagnosis and pain patterns.
- We then observe the worker doing their usual tasks. We use our ‘physio eyes’ to identify unhealthy postures and movements.
- With the help of technology such as video playback, we can enlighten workers about the reasons for their aches and pains.
- We teach workers to identify their unhelpful habits and offer alternatives.
Advice may include self-management strategies such as:
- Posture correction
- Particular stretches or exercise
- Rest breaks and task rotation
- Change to work practices to minimise risk
- Use of tools to reduce manual load
- In some cases, modification to tools and work items to accommodate long term injury or disability.
You don’t need to be like Chris, working in a Brisbane kitchen, to benefit from this process. No matter what job you do, you can always benefit from a scheduled program that helps you manage an injury whilst you return to work.