Industrial Rehabilitation Services

Injured workers benefit from physiotherapy services from the onset of injury through their return to work. Early physiotherapy intervention consists of treatment for acute neuromusculoskeletal problems and other injuries. Many clients who receive appropriate early care return to their job without additional rehabilitation services.

For those who are not able to return to work because of unresolved physical problems following acute care, the treatment focus changes to restoration of work-related function. Defined as WORK CONDITIONING, these programs address the physical issues of flexibility, strength, endurance, coordination, and work-related function for the global outcome of return to work.

For the limited number of clients with behavioral and vocational dysfunction, WORK HARDENING may be indicated. WORK HARDENING programs are interdisciplinary and address the physical, functional, behavioral and vocational needs of the injured worker, with the global outcome of return to work. Physiotherapists provide the physical and functional components within both of these programs.

Our Programs are based on the latest American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Guidelines developed for Work Conditioning/Hardening Programs.

Work Conditioning Programs

Work Conditioning is an intensive, work-related, goal-oriented conditioning program designed specifically to restore systemic neuromusculoskeletal functions (e.g., joint integrity and mobility, muscle performance (including strength, power, and endurance), motor function (motor control and motor learning), range of motion (including muscle length), and cardiovascular/pulmonary functions (e.g. aerobic capacity/endurance, circulation, and ventilation and respiration/gas exchange). The objective of the work conditioning program is to restore physical capacity and function to enable the client to return to work.

Work Conditioning Examination and Evaluation: Examination by history, systems review, and selected tests and measures required to identify the client's individual work-related, systemic, neuromusculoskeletal restoration needs. Evaluation of examination data shall be used to identify eligibility, design a plan of care, monitor progress and plan for discharge and return to work...... Learn more

Work Hardening Programs

Work Hardening is a highly structured, goal-oriented, individualized intervention program designed to return the client to work. Work Hardening programs, which are multidisciplinary in nature, use real or simulated work activities designed to restore physical, behavioral, and vocational functions. Work Hardening addresses the issues of productivity, safety, physical tolerances, and worker behaviors.

Work Hardening Examination and Evaluation: multidisciplinary examination including history, systems review, and selected tests and measures required to identify the patient/client's individual restoration needs related to physical, functional, behavioral, and vocational status. The initial multidisciplinary evaluation of examination data is used to identify patient/client eligibility, design a plan of care, monitor progress, plan for discharge and return to work...... Learn more

WSIB Programs of Care

Early physiotherapy intervention consisting of treatment for acute neuromusculoskeletal problems and other injuries. Many clients who receive appropriate early care return to their job without additional rehabilitation services.