Sports Medicine in the Workplace
By Robert Warne - October 25, 2001Imagine being injured on the job. Quickly you are carted out, back to a training room on a custom electric car. You are sad because you won’t be able to finish your shift. You know the people you work with and the people you service are going to miss you, and can’t wait for your return. The doctor comes in, examines you and says it will take about three months to recover and then he puts you on a rehabilitation program. You are relieved that you will be ok, and can’t wait to start the program so you can return to work.
Would the special treatments associated with sports medicine ever fly in the workplace? If you are a professional athlete it’s guaranteed, but if you’re a regular nine to fiver, probably not. As insurers and employers seek innovative ways to help injured employees return to work faster, a push for sports medicine may be part of the equation.
It’s amazing how fast a professional athlete can bounce back after an injury. Sprains, snaps and cracks seem to magically heal within a three to six month window. Jerry Rice pulled off some amazing medical recoveries during the 1997 and 1998 NFL seasons.
After tearing the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee and undergoing surgery, he was back on the field in just over three months. Then following his return he suffered a cracked patella in his left knee, which required another surgery. Rice though somehow overcame the two knee surgeries and went on to start in 16 games during the 1998 season.
To achieve such a rapid recovery a lot depends on the patient’s physical condition and state of mind. Yet a lot also depends on the treating medical professional. It’s not merely coincidental that athletes seem to recover faster than the average individual.
At the American Osteopathic Association’s (AOA) 106th Annual Convention and Scientific Seminar, Oct. 24 a topic was presented that bridges the benefits of sports medicine into the workplace.
In his presentation Jeffrey Pearson, D.O., stated the osteopathic physicians specializing in sports medicine are among the best physicians to treat work injuries for a number of reasons.
Dr. Pearson explained, "First, we are oriented towards helping our patients recover more quickly. Second, by virtue of our ability to incorporate osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) into our plan, patients only have to see one physician."
His presentation also emphasized the importance for physicians to understand the workers’ compensation system and its reporting requirements.
Along with his own family/sports/industrial medical practice, Dr. Pearson serves as a medical claims consultant for The Zenith Insurance Company, performing independent claims reviews.
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