Lydia presented a talk on PHYSICAL THERAPY TIPS TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS at the Circle J BBQ on January 14, 2011 at the Connect 4 Lunch meeting. Below are the points she made during her talk.
1. Prevent Injuries From Occurring:
● Train your employees and learn for yourself Proper Body Mechanics.
● Know and be able to demonstrate the proper and safe way to lift and carry items.
● Keep back straight.
● Squat, do not bend over.
● Use your legs and arm muscles to pick up something…Not Your Back.
● The muscles in the hips, buttocks, thighs, and arms are large muscles. They can generate a lot of force to lift things.
● The muscles in our backs are short and small. Their purpose is to keep our vertebrae on top of each other, not to lift heavy items. Even the weight of your own back causes strain. This can cause a herniated disc. Remember to keep your spine straight.
2. If An Injury Does Occur:
● Fill out a First Report of Injury.
3. If You Have Workers Compensation Insurance:
● Report the injury to them.
4. If Necessary, Have Your Employee Get Medical Attention:
● They can choose their own doctors, or you can suggest who they can see.
5. The Law States:
● If you have 3 or more employees you must have Workers Compensation Insurance. This includes corporate officers.
6. If You or Your Employee Has Sustained Injuries to Muscles, Joints, Bones, or Nerves: ● Get physical therapy as soon as possible.
● The quicker an injury is treated, the quicker the recovery.
● After an injury there is swelling and inflammation and it is important to eliminate this quickly so that healing can occur.
Keep in mind that the longer the time between when an injury occurs and receiving treatment causes longer treatment time, higher costs, and a delay in returning the worker to their full work duties.
Our treatment at The Ruidoso Physical Therapy Clinic, Inc. addresses the following:
1. Decreasing pain and inflammation
2. Regaining strength and mobility
3. Teaching proper body mechanics
4. A return to full work duties.
We can get injured workers in on the same day so that they can recover and return to their full work duties quickly. We provide outstanding physical therapy and focus on getting results.
This includes decreasing pain and returning our patients to full functional mobility. We have an excellent staff dedicated to the recovery of all of our patients. Lydia has over 30 years experience and Tanya has over 15 years experience as physical therapists.
We have top quality equipment for exercising, the TurboSonic "whole body vibration" and the HIVAMAT, a machine that promotes healing of injured muscles and joints. Know that you can come to see us even if the doctor wrote the physical therapy referral on some one else's prescription form.
7. Ergonomic Assessment:
We can come to your business to perform an Ergonomic Assessment which can prevent pain, numbness, fatigue and injuries that require medical attention or physical therapy. It is important to look at how the desk, computer and chair are set up as well as how items are being moved, lifted, and carried. If sitting at a desk and working at a computer, at least every hour one should spend 3 minutes doing neck and wrist stretching. See the exercises at the end of this blog post for more details.
8. Keep the Sidewalks and Walkways In Front of Your Business Free of Snow and Ice:
We have top quality equipment for exercising, the TurboSonic "whole body vibration" and the HIVAMAT, a machine that promotes healing of injured muscles and joints. Know that you can come to see us even if the doctor wrote the physical therapy referral on some one else's prescription form.
7. Ergonomic Assessment:
We can come to your business to perform an Ergonomic Assessment which can prevent pain, numbness, fatigue and injuries that require medical attention or physical therapy. It is important to look at how the desk, computer and chair are set up as well as how items are being moved, lifted, and carried. If sitting at a desk and working at a computer, at least every hour one should spend 3 minutes doing neck and wrist stretching. See the exercises at the end of this blog post for more details.
8. Keep the Sidewalks and Walkways In Front of Your Business Free of Snow and Ice:
● Shovel, sweep clean and use salt. It's cheaper than medical care.
9. We Have a Fitness Center:
● People can come and exercise under the supervision of a physical therapist.
● If your business is interested in offering this to your employees, we can look at providing group rates.
● We offer free 15 minute consultations.
● Our Mission is: "Getting you back to a pain-free, active lifestyle".
10. Silver Sneakers and Prime Fitness:
We are a provider for Silver Sneakers and Prime Fitness. Check to see if your insurance company has Silver Sneakers and Prime Fitness as one of your benefits.
11. The Mountain Wellness Experience:
Experience health and wellness in the Ruidoso area on July 28, 29th and 30th, 2011. Check the Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce website for more details.
