The Evolution of Industrial Therapy and Rehabilitation - Medical Model (Part 1 of 9)

Previously, we described briefly the focus of theperson/body part is taken to the medical
development and evolution Industrial Therapy andpractitioner whose main focus is to minimize pain
Rehabilitation in order to support a concept calledand helping the injured body part to heal, after
"Industrial Wellness," where therapists focuses onwhich the worker will return to work. Herein, the
educating, strengthening capabilities, talks andmedical practitioner was the main principal, and in
workshops on ergonomics, attitudinal andmost times, the ONLY active provider and healer
behavioral management as well as othertreating the injured patient or worker throughout
approaches to enhance the worker ability, healththe stages of healing (injury->acute
and productivity in his or her given workplaces.phate->rehabilitation->return to work).
Here we will share a little more on theTherapists, even if they were included, were
development. Here is the rough flow of how itsimply part of a protocol of referral and were
evolved:helpers to the process. The main problem with
Medical Model -> Conditioning Orientation ->this model of approach was that even if the body
Functional Orientation -> Psychosocial Factoringpart were healed, and pain diminished, that doesn't
-> Preventative Education -> Preventiontranslate to the worker being able to return to
Process -> Preventative Job Matching andwork with particular ease. Consequently, workers
Placement -> Ergonomics -> Beyond Injuryoften returned to their previous jobs
Orientation -> Beyond Wellness Orientationdeconditioned, unable to resume at the previous
(today) => Industrial Therapy and Rehabilitationquality or quantity, and often with the same
(ITR)unsafe work habits that may have caused the
Well, in the medical model, what is the maininjury in the first place. Often, there is high rates
concept is usually injury FIRST, then the injuredof re-injuries.