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Category: Work Injury

Maroubra Road PhysiotherapyBlogWork Injury
By MarcF 0 Comments Work Injury

The complete guide to making a speedy recovery after a work injury | Blog | Maroubra Road Physiotherapy

The complete guide to making a speedy recovery after a work injury

Knowing how long it will take you to recover from a workplace injury is a bit like trying to find out how long a piece of string is!  However, instead of gazing into a crystal ball to see into the future, you can take practical and empowering steps optimise your recovery. With the help of an experienced physiotherapist at Maroubra Road physiotherapy, you will be on your way back to the workplace.

 

Fast facts on workplace safety

According to data from WorkSafe Australia:

 

  • The agriculture, forestry and fishing industries have the highest number of workplace injuries, deaths and compensation claims in Australia.

 

  • 43% of all serious injuries involve traumatic joint/ligament and muscle/tendon injury.

 

  • The median amount of compensation paid for a serious claim is $10,800.

 

Understand your workplace injury

 

Your GP or physiotherapist will possibly be the first point of contact after you have had an injury. It’s important for you know what’s wrong with your body so that you understand how we treat the problem. Broadly speaking there are two types of injuries.

 

  • Soft tissue injuries: injuries to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your body. You might know these as sprains, strains, pulled hamstrings or a twisted ankle.
  • Bone injuries: Injuries to the bone including fractures, micro-cracks and dislocations.
  • A bone injury will generally require intervention by a doctor or specialist, along with a splint or cast for the healing of the bone.
  • Physiotherapists are specialised in helping with soft tissue injuries of many kinds, rehabilitation after being immobilised in a cast or brace, recovering after surgery, as well as the treatment of conditions where chronic pain is a symptom.

Three stages of healing: how we can help  

 

Acute Inflammatory Phase: Day 1-7

Acute inflammation often gets a bad wrap, but this kind of inflammation is a good thing – it’s actually the tissue healing itself after being injured. In week one you will experience pain, redness, swelling and heat at the injured location of your body. This is the body going through its normal healing processes. The same thing happens after surgery as well.

 

Physiotherapy during this phase focuses on education regarding management of your condition and controlling the inflammation. Maroubra Road Physiotherapy will help you to understand this phase of healing and what to expect during this stage.

 

Fibroblastic Repair/Subacute Phase: From as early as day 4, up to 6 weeks

 

Once inflammation settles down, your body will begin to lay down collagen which is a type of scar tissue that is less flexible than normal tissue in this area. During this phase you may start to feel better and return to your former level of physical activity.It is possible that  you may experience a set-back in your progress because your body isn’t quite ready. Physiotherapy treatment during this phase is focused on regaining full range of motion, joint and scar tissue mobilisation and exercises to promote re-alignment of the collagen fibres.

 

Remodelling Phase: 2-3 weeks, up to months or years

 

After this your healing will progress. The tissue in your injury area will have improved in quality and strength. During this phase, adding stress to the tissues is important to realign the fibres along the proper lines of stress. This will mean that the tissues will accommodate to increased pressure placed on them.  During this phase, Maroubra Road Physiotherapy will focus on regaining your full range of motion and improving strength through exercise and gradually increasing resistive loads.

 

Good to remember

 

  • You should always listen to the advice of your physiotherapist. Each treatment, exercise and piece of advice will be tailored to meet your injury, stage of healing and personal circumstances.

 

  • You should also follow the advice of SIRA, the NSW government’s guidelines on return to work policies for employers and employees. Check out their guide.

 

Don’t rush treatments with a physiotherapist

 

It’s essential that you don’t rush your treatment with a physio. At Maroubra Road Physiotherapy, we pride ourselves on taking our time and offering hands on treatments and exercises. These easy to follow exercises will help to promote your body’s healing and ongoing wellbeing. We work closely with you to tailor your treatment to your individual needs, and use techniques that will best suit you and your situation.

 

A workplace injury can be challenging to manage without the right help. Maroubra Road Physiotherapy offer specialised physiotherapy that helps workplace injuries. Call us today on (02) 9314 3888.

 

By MarcF 0 Comments Exercises, Studies, Work Injury , ,

Five Tips To Help Keep You Pain Free At Work.

5 Tips to keep you pain free at work.

The standard computer workstation can pose a minefield of ergonomic hazards, simply from the way we type, read off our monitor, answer the phone, or perform other required work functions. Millions of Australians suffer from painful work-related disorders, such as – carpal tunnel syndrome, low back pain, neck pain and headaches. These disorders account for between 56% and 65% of all occupational injuries.

Simple interventions such as physiotherapy and ergonomic work-place adjustments play a major role in keeping you healthy.

Here are a few basic tips to get you started!

  1. Move …Get up and stretch every 30 minutes or so. Having a stretch gives those muscles a break from getting too stiff. Researchers have found that activities like walking to the water cooler can have a cumulative effect on one’s cardiovascular fitness. Those stairs aren’t going to climb themselves! It’s an arduous task but your body will thank you.
  2. Sit up straight – Balanced neck and head posture (chin in). Make a conscious effort to press your bottom against the back of the chair, and avoid slumping or slouching, which places extra stress on the lumbar discs and other structures of the lower back.
  3. Support Yourself – Footrests, portable lumbar back supports, or even a towel or small pillow can be used while sitting in an office chair.
  4. Set up your environment – Have your monitor directly in front of you, with the top 1/3 of the screen eye level. The keyboard and the mouse should be close enough to prevent excessive reaching, which strains the shoulders and arms. Keep your elbows as close to your body as possible. Your chair’s backrest should support the natural curve of your lower back. Or consider a standing desk, which is becoming increasingly popular! Feet should be flat on the floor or on a footrest.
  5. Get in the Habit – These tips may feel awkward at first due to the conscious effort needed, however with time, it will become more comfortable and natural. Set up alarms on your phone every hour to remind you to take a break.

 

This information is sourced from: www.cochranelibrary.com/

By MarcF 0 Comments Exercises, Physio, Work Injury ,

Five Tips To Help You Feel Great

Five Tips To Help You Feel Great

The team at Maroubra Road Physiotherapy want to get you out and about and enjoying life! We know it’s hard to do this when you are suffering from pain or discomfort, so we’ve put together the following 5 tips to help you take advantage of life without pain!

Tip 1: Always keep your head level and your shoulders relaxed, especially during activities like walking, standing and even sitting. This will improve your posture and reduce the risk of back pain. Standing with your knees slightly bent can also be beneficial.

Tip 2: Try not to sit for long periods at a time. Stand up and stretch or walk around every 30 minutes.

Tip 3: Lifting heavy objects is one of the most common causes of back pain. Therefore, make sure you always observe correct lifting techniques – hold the load close to your body, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees, not your back, and lift from your legs. Avoid twisting! Use your feet to turn and don’t lift the load higher than waist height.

Tip 4: The correct type of mattress and pillow will help you get a great, relaxing night’s sleep. Both should be firm enough to support your body weight and shape. Your spine should be straight when lying on your side, and maintain a natural curve when lying on your back.

Tip 5: Promote good posture when seated, especially during driving by using a rolled up towel positioned for your lower back. This will help to prevent back and neck pain.