No one wants to get injured on the job, but it happens every day. It can be a hassle for you and your employer when you file a workers’ compensation claim that involves doctors, insurance companies, human resources departments, and others that you probably don’t feel like dealing with–especially when you’re hurt. But there might be a silver lining.

WCRI Lower-Back Injury Study

Using data from injuries that occurred in the workplace between October 2015 and March 2017 and detailed medical transactions through March 2018, WCRI (Workers’ Compensation Research Institute) released a study. It revealed starting “physical therapy within the first two weeks post-injury is associated with lower medical utilization and costs and shorter duration of temporary disability.” This study is based on nearly 26,000 lower-back pain (LBP) claims with more than seven days of lost time from 27 states.

Of those 26,000 LBP-only claims, 68% received physical therapy treatment, and nearly half had seven or more PT visits. The difference in medical costs and treatment duration between those who started the physical therapy treatment within seven days and those who waited at least two weeks to begin PT is staggering. The study shows that workers who started PT late were more likely to receive medical services after 30 days.

Specifically, they were 46% more likely to receive opioid prescriptions, 47% more likely to receive an MRI, and 29% more likely to receive a pain management injection. Comparing the early PT recipients with the late recipients, the late group was 89% more likely to require lower-back surgery (though the overall risk for surgery still remained low for both groups).

On a broader scale, workers in the late PT group had 24% higher medical costs and 58% longer temporary disability duration. All because these workers waited at least a week too long to receive physical therapy treatment. Dr. Randy Lea, one of the researchers on the WCRI study, noted that “for employers, providing early access and intervention to decrease costs and utilization–that’s been a prominent theme in discussions around work-related injuries and illnesses for better than 20 years. Our findings align with that concept. Early PT intervention is beneficial from a cost and clinical standpoint.”

Workers’ Comp Claims? Bring ‘Em On!

At Physical Therapy Now, we welcome your workers’ compensation claims. We also know how important it is to handle your workers’ comp claims with the utmost care and attention to detail. Throughout your PT treatment with Physical Therapy Now, we will meticulously maintain any and all records and documents to ensure the claim process is as smooth as possible for you and your employer.

And, just as important, we’ll help you get back on your feet and back to work! Whether it’s a lower-back injury or any other type of injury, Physical Therapy Now will work with you to come up with the best treatment plan using both tried-and-true physical therapy treatments along with the latest innovations in PT.

Physical Therapy For Workers’ Comp Claims In Florida

If you’ve been injured on the job and need physical therapy through your workers’ compensation claim, visit your local Physical Therapy Now location.  We have plenty of convenient facilities near you! Our state-of-the-art facilities and skilled physical therapists will not only rehabilitate your current injury to get you back to work quickly, but they’ll create a work-hardening program for you.

This program mimics your work environment and the physical tasks you perform at work to ensure that you’re doing them the right way so you can prevent re-injury. Call us today at (800) 481-4582 to set up your first appointment, where we’ll discuss your injury and walk you step-by-step through the workers’ compensation claim process. Then we’ll get to work on getting you back to work!