Work is an important part of many of our daily lives. There are many kinds of jobs that help society stay afloat. Some jobs require a lot of physical activity and others require more time at a desk. In both areas, it’s possible to get injured.

Workplace injuries are a problem because they keep you from doing your job and you take them home with you too. When you’ve been injured at work, it’s important to find treatment so you can return to your job and daily life.

One treatment option for people who’ve been hurt at work is occupational therapy. An occupational therapist is beneficial for several reasons, including:

• They help reduce pain while recovering.
• They can improve recovery speed and quality.
• They can show you how to safely move around while recovering.
• They help reduce the chance of future injuries.

When do you need occupational therapy?

Some workplace injuries are minor and require little more than rest for treatment. However, if your doctor thinks your condition is too serious for home treatments, you may need to see an occupational therapist. Common reasons you would want to visit an occupational therapist for treatment may include:

1. You’ve pulled or torn a muscle — It’s possible, especially in manual labor, to pull or tear a muscle while working. This can happen if you overexert yourself trying to complete an activity like picking up a heavy object or lifting something over your head. It can also occur from repetitive activities, such as frequent lifting or typing for long periods of time.

2. You’ve broken a bone — Slips, trips and falls are some of the most common workplace injuries. It’s possible to fracture a bone as a result of these incidents. Fractures vary in severity. Some are minor hairline fractures and others are total breaks of the bone.

3. You’ve injured a joint — Strain, overexertion and traumatic impacts can cause an injury in one of your joints. A joint injury can include a fracture to the bones in the joints or strain to the soft tissue in the joints.

4. You’ve hurt your back — Back injuries are common in the workplace because there are a number of ways you can hurt your back. Overexertion, poor posture, sitting too long and traumatic impact are all ways you can injure your back at work.

5. You’ve hurt your head — Slipping, tripping, falling and impacts from falling objects and projectiles can cause harm to your head. This might include skull injuries or concussions.

Visit Continuum Wellness to treat a workplace injury

Have you recently been injured due to an incident in the workplace? Our physical therapists at Continuum Wellness can help you recover. Contact our team today for more information about occupational therapy or to schedule an initial appointment.