Things You Should Know about Work Conditioning & Hardening Programs

Things You Should Know about Work Conditioning & Hardening Programs

Work hardening and work conditioning are high levels of therapeutic intervention designed to help patients regain function before returning to work.  These therapies are ideal for patients that have already progressed through traditional physical therapy, yet still, lack function in relation to a particular work environment or work duties.  Work hardening and work conditioning use simulated or real work tasks to help prepare patients for a safe transition back to the workforce while preventing reinjury or new injuries. Preferred Rehab Inc. is one of the leading Detroit physical therapy clinics with our office based in Allen Park. We have Detroit physical therapists standing by to help you now.

An Overview of Work Conditioning

A rigorous conditioning program made to help the patients regain their cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal, neurological, and systematic functions, including mobility, strength, balance, functional abilities, endurance, and motor control.  Work conditioning also provides a foundation in the process to return to work. The goals of a work conditioning program include restoring the patient’s functional and physical capacities to avoid injury recurrence as well as reducing fear of returning to work. If you are searching for a Dearborn physical therapy clinic, look no further.

An Overview of Work Hardening

A highly structured, goal-oriented, individualized program that aims to help patients return to work in a safe and timely manner.  This protocol also focuses on assisting patients with regaining their cardiovascular, biomechanical, psychosocial, and neuromuscular function in relation to their work tasks. Work hardening is multidisciplinary in nature incorporating real or simulated work environments with physical therapists, vocational specialists, psychologists, and occupational therapists.  It also includes flexibility, strengthening exercises, joint, and spine stabilization as well as job task training.

• Patients Benefitting from a Work Hardening or Work Conditioning Program May Include

Any labor-intensive position such as:

• Chefs
• Post office employees
• Delivery drivers
• Painters
• Healthcare providers
• Construction workers
• Plumbers
• Electricians
• Firefighters
• Police officers

What Should You Expect from Work Hardening and Work Conditioning Programs?

A Physical Therapist will help injured workers regain mobility and function through a variety of motion exercises, strength building, and stretching.  Occupational and Detroit Physical Therapists develop work-simulation exercises that are based on specific job demands while demonstrating adaptations when necessary. Each program is developed for every patient’s individual needs and can address work pacing, task modification, strength, flexibility, endurance, coordination, body mechanics, behavior modification, and balance. A Detroit physical therapy clinic or Allen park physical therapy clinic can be of great value to anyone searching for a Detroit work hardening or conditioning program.

Work Hardening and Work Conditioning – The Differences

A Detroit work hardening program is interdisciplinary in nature with the use of conditioning protocols to improve cardiovascular, psychosocial, metabolic, neuromuscular, and biomechanical functions in conjunction with simulated or real work activities.  A work hardening program also provides a transition between acute care and returning to work, while addressing any problematic behaviors, physical tolerances, safety, and productivity. Work hardening is a goal-oriented, highly structured, and individualized treatment program made to maximize one’s ability to return to his or her work.

A work-conditioning program is an intensive treatment program particularly made to restores one’s musculoskeletal, and systematic functions. These include one’s motor control, flexibility, movement, endurance, and strength. The primary objective of this program is to restore the physical function and capacity of a patient to the extent that they may return to work.

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