Injuries happen every day, especially in a place as busy and exciting as Harlem, NY, where the pressures of urban life can be just as physical as they are emotional. Park North Physical Therapy offers excellent physical therapy in Harlem from local professionals who treat all types of injuries.
One common way to get injured is from work. This can be a frustrating experience. Thankfully, more and more people are discovering physical therapy’s role in managing work-related injuries.
Benefits of Physical Therapy
Work-related injuries can occur after someone falls or lifts something too heavy, resulting in a sprain or fracture. Workplace injuries may also result from repetitive motions, leading to tendinitis or carpal tunnel. Their severity can range from mildly bothersome to debilitating.
Physical therapy’s role in managing work-related injuries will vary depending on the specifics of the injury, the patient’s history, and the patient’s goals. Whatever the work-related injury is, the licensed physical therapists at Park North Physical Therapy in Harlem, NY, are ready to help with a customized treatment.
Pain Management
The goal of any physical therapist is to help patients improve their mobility and quality of life. Pain management is central to this process. Injuries can be incredibly painful, so a physical therapist will employ different tactics to reduce swelling, inflammation, stiffness, and pain. Methods may include:
- Manual therapy
- Massage
- Hot or cold treatments
- Exercise
Functionality
One of the most difficult aspects of a work-related injury is how it hinders present and future work performance. When it is painful or impossible to complete work tasks, this can create huge difficulties for patients.
Physical therapists will work to carefully improve each patient’s flexibility and range of motion to help injured muscles and tendons heal correctly, resulting in patients regaining the ability to perform work tasks.
Injury Prevention
While working with patients to improve functionality, physical therapists can also help patients address any underlying issues that may cause future injury. For example, if significant balance problems result in a patient compensating and straining certain muscles, a physical therapist can provide exercises and advice to address the root cause.
Another way physical therapists work with patients on injury prevention is by learning about the movements their jobs require. Then, patients can receive guidance to perform their work tasks in a healthier way that is less likely to lead to future injuries.
Return to Work
As patients return to work after a workplace injury, a physical therapist can provide support throughout the transition. Physical therapists can help a patient gradually add in different work activities and monitor all progress to ensure the return to work is safe.
Contact Experts in Harlem, NY, Today
Physical therapy’s role in managing work-related injuries is central to the recovery and return-to-work process. With something as vital as mobility and the ability to work, you need a team you can trust. Park North Physical Therapy in Harlem, NY, is proud to be that team. Call 212-222-6525 to book an appointment.