Suffering from an injury that keeps you out of work can be a devastating experience. As if the injury itself was not enough of a blow, the fact that you’re unable to complete your job while recovering almost literally adds insult to injury. When faced with this predicament, the primary goal of injured workers is to return to their jobs as soon as possible, but in some situations their physical limitations may lengthen this process.

This is where work hardening comes in. When injured workers meet established short- and long-term goals through physical therapy but are unable to return to work due to remaining functional deficits or deconditioning, it may be necessary for them to undergo a higher level of therapeutic intervention that’s designed for the specific goal of returning to work.

Work hardening, a more aggressive approach than the similar work conditioning, is a focused intervention designed to accomplish just that. It is a highly-structured, goal-oriented, individualized intervention that’s centered exclusively on getting an injured worker back to work as quickly and safely as possible.

Work hardening programs incorporate a number of both real and simulated work activities that are designed to improve physical and behavioral function, as well as address issues of productivity, safety and physical tolerance. Injured workers who benefit the most from these programs are usually at least 30 days out from their injury and have a medium or higher physical demand category job to return to.

We’re proud to offer work hardening services in Parkville, MD, where our physical therapists will work closely with you to expedite your recovery and return to work. Below are some of the highlights of what our work hardening program includes:

• The first step of the process is a functional capacity evaluation (FCE), which is a detailed exam and evaluation that will measure your current level of function as related to the demands of your job
• Results of the FCE will be used to make decisions about your ability to return to work and what additional treatments are needed; if work hardening is deemed necessary, it will be based on the results of the FCE and include the following:
• Education on proper body mechanics (how to move the body as efficiently as possible), safety in the work place and how to prevent injuries in the future
• Real or simulated work tasks to increase strength, endurance and flexibility while incorporating job-specific tasks and training
• Physical exercise and reconditioning using stretching, strengthening and aerobic fitness
• The ultimate goal is to help the injured worker build up enough strength, flexibility and endurance to tolerate a full work schedule with specific job’s tasks
• The programs usually last about 4-8 hours per day for 3-5 days a week, for anywhere from 4-8 weeks, depending on the seriousness of the injury

If you’ve recently experienced an injury that’s preventing you from getting back to work, than one of these customized programs may be exactly what you need to accelerate the process and help you return to your job. Contact CAM Physical Therapy and Wellness Services at 301-853-0093 for more information on our work hardening services in Parkville, MD, or to schedule an appointment at any of our other offices in Glenn Dale/Bowie, Laurel or Hyattsville, MD.