Attention Employers: Surgery Isn’t The Only Option

Lower Your Workers’ Comp Costs By Getting Employees The Right Treatment

Whether your workplace is an office setting or a warehouse, employees are subject to being injured on the job. Frequently, when they are suffering from overexertion or reaction injuries, people believe that surgery is the only way to get their body working properly again. However, this isn’t the case. There are alternatives to surgery that can heal your body in a matter of weeks, cutting down on costs and lowering the risk of complications.

A Case Study

We recently helped an employee from a local, private country club who experienced lower back and shoulder pain. He explained to us that he was sitting on a 5-gallon bucket drilling a hole when he began to feel pain in his lower back and left shoulder. Later on that evening, his lower back pain worsened. He woke up the next morning with muscle tightness and spasms to his lower back. He took Tylenol and Advil for some mild relief and went back to work. In the days after, he experienced an increase in low back pain and tightness and was unable to continue with his job duties.

The employee was referred to us and came to our office three days after the incident. After evaluating the employee, I felt his condition was musculoskeletal related and treated him with F.I.T., or Fascial Integrative Treatment, and stretches to the lower back.

F.I.T. is an advanced soft-tissue system that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, nerves and joints. It is a manual hands-on therapy that corrects the dysfunctions that these soft-tissues can undergo. When you are injured, scar tissue adhesions can accumulate in your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. This kind of build up occurred in the employee’s shoulder and back from the job duties he performs, but these build ups can also be the result of any type of strain you put on your body, from slouching at your desk to carrying heavy objects. When this build up of scar tissue goes unaddressed, the result is pain, discomfort and lack of mobility.

After the employee’s initial treatment, he noticed approximately 30-40% improvement in pain reduction and increased ranges of motion.  During the next treatment, the employee mentioned that the improvement continued and stated that he was approximately 60% improved.  After the third treatment, the employee stated that he was approximately 80-90% improved. He was able to perform his normal activities of daily living and work activities with minimal to no pain.  We followed up with the employee three days later and his condition had resolved.

The Cost of Surgery Avoided

If he had been sent to his work comp clinic, more than likely, he would have been given pain medication, muscle relaxants, and modified work restrictions, which would have triggered an OSHA recordable. It would have also costed an average of $6,300 in worker’s compensation claims.

Exploring alternative treatments is beneficial for the employee, and for the company’s bottom line. If you’d like more information about the types of workplace injuries that can be treated using F.I.T. and other modalities, please contact us  or call 949-263-9003.

We also offer a free treatment for all Wellness Coordinators so that you can experience the benefits of F.I.T. for yourself!