What Workers Can Learn From Athletes (NAPSA)—To get injured workers back into the workforce and prevent future accidents and oe injuries, some occupational medicine clinics are taking their cue from the techniques used to rehabilitate injured athletes. Studies have shown that workers who engage in physical activi- ties as part of their job may experience the same types of injuries as professional athletes. In fact, sprains and strains are the leading cause of injury in the workplace. The solution? As well as providing prompt treatment, it’s important to assess what caused the damage and suggest specialized techniques to reduce further injury. “When injuries do occur, our work site athletic health special- ists [WAHS] use sports medicine techniques to provide early treat- ment and speed healing,” said Mike McCollum, president of Con- centra Health Solutions. WAHS provide rehabilitation guidanceto reducefurther injury. With this type of program, com- panies benefit from an experienced health care professional able to identify the root cause of employee injuries, reduce reinjury, and increase employee safety adherence. This proactive approach to employee health has already paid off in fewer workers’ compensation claims, saving employer costs, and helps to create safer workplaces, works with employers of all sizes fewer injuries and more companies with longer strings of consecutive days without work injuries. provide workforce-related care and get workers healthy quickly WAHS, one company prevented 289 urgent care visits, saving over Concentra operates over 300 urgent care sites in 40 states and across the U.S. to process claims, using WAHS within their organization. WAHS are experienced health professionals, such as certi- fied athletic trainers and physical therapists, who provide ergonomic assessment of tasks, coordinate injury care services, arrange specialist referrals and conduct safety audits. Within the first year of using $900,000. The return on invest- ment, according to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, is 83 percent, with a return of $3 per employee/dollar invested. For more information about Concentra’s employer-focused health care solutions, visit www.concentra.com.
