Sometimes the more important question a doctor should be asking is “What matters to you” opposed to “What is the matter with you”. That is where occupational therapy comes in to a comprehensive treatment plan after you have been injured on the job in Illinois. While most doctors will focus on healing the injury itself, an occupational therapist will work on healing your skills to return you to the daily activities that matter most to you.
Occupational therapy is specifically designed to hone in on the skills you will need to achieve full success and independence in your daily activities. For instance, if a person was injured on the job, had surgery and then was cleared for “light duty” work, what exactly could they do? With occupational therapy the rehabilitation goes way beyond healing the surgical site and the underlying issue. It also would help with transitional work clearance and modified movements of the injured body part to make sure no further injury occurs. The therapy itself centers around allowing the patient to heal while gradually progressing with skill and strength until they are able to return to work with no restrictions. Light duty work in the meantime may include shorter hours or adjusted positions while working, that all depends on the injury.
In some instances, occupational therapy is labeled “Work Rehabilitation” the treatment could be anywhere from 3-5 days per week for 2-4 hour sessions at a time, depending on the needs of the client. Most workers compensation claims will allow for occupational therapy, as it is a science based therapy that has been tested as productive, time and time again. The sole purpose of occupational therapy is to allow the patient to return to his or her daily activities after an injury. This includes being able to do your daily work tasks. Instead of just being thrown back in to your job, the therapy helps you work your way back in to condition. It’s not much different than a runner training for a marathon. You can’t just run one on day one. You get to where you want to be over time.
We don’t give medical advice, so if you think occupational therapy might be good for you, talk to your doctor about. If you have been injured on the job and want to ask us questions or get help with your case, contact us today. We will do whatever we can to make sure that your case is successful.
