With a fifth of all patients waiting at least 2 weeks to see their GP, many employees are missing out on physiotherapy which can help prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) from progressing.
Physiotherapy may also be necessary to speed up the recoveries of employees who have suffered an injury in or outside of the workplace, reducing sickness.
In fact, 40% of all employee sickness absences in the UK can be attributed to work-related MSDs.
With over 9 million UK working days lost a year as a result of this very problem, it’s important that employers don’t overlook both the muscular and skeletal health of their employees as part of their broader workplace wellness programme.
When Might an Employee Need Help from a Physio?
An employee may need treatment from a physio in a wide range of circumstances. It may be the case that they have recently suffered an injury or problem at work and effective physio will speed up the recovery process.
In other situations, physio is a great preventative treatment for many musculoskeletal disorders. Whether that’s keeping common repetitive strain problems like lower back pain under control, or treating more serious MSDs such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Physios understand the strains on the body caused by poor working habits and by listening to you, the employer, they can begin to develop customised care plans for your employees to keep them healthy, happy and productive.
For instance, they can implement preventative treatments and exercises for manual labourers who need body stress-management programmes to help to remain pain-free in the workplace.
Why Is Having Physiotherapy Beneficial for Employers?
Not only can they provide treatment to existing ailments, but they can also spot the early warning signs of physical sickness symptoms (such as arthritis), before they begin to have an effect on the health and productivity of your employees.
By having regular assessments, physios can spot when employees are beginning to lose their range of motion, suffering from reduced limb capacity, experiencing muscle wastage and displaying decreased grip strengths.
Long-term MSDs such as arthritis can have more of an effect on employees than just physical pain, with many suffering complications with their mental health as a result of their chronic pain.
This just further illustrates the role that physical health plays in your employees’ morale and productivity.
How Can You Arrange Physio Visits for Your Employees?
Physios help to prevent and reduce staff absences due to problems of a muscular or skeletal nature. They can even help to develop personalised action plans for employees to prevent chronic conditions from worsening and identify general risk factors within your workplace.
By keeping staff free of the pain caused by their physical symptoms, employers can save money by having a less absent and more productive workforce.
Physio consultations can be arranged as part of our DocHQ wellness package, which fits seamlessly into your existing employee benefits ecosystem.
Our services also include a range of additional benefits including GP visits and prescriptions delivered to your place of work. With low cost, flexible services make sure to review our plans to see which is a best fit for your company.
DocHQ Ltd is a Health Tech company improving choices. We help you connect efficiently to health support and advice whether you are at home, work or travelling. See our website for our services or call us on 0330 088 0645.
