WORKERS
Physical Therapy for Injured Workers
Helping You Return to Work Safely, Confidently, and Ready for the Demands of Your Job
An injury doesn’t just affect your health—it can affect your livelihood, your family, and your confidence in returning to work.
Whether you work at a desk, in healthcare, on a construction site, in manufacturing, or in one of Maine’s many physically demanding industries, returning to work requires more than simply feeling better. It requires restoring the strength, endurance, movement, and confidence necessary to safely perform the physical demands of your job.
At Forza Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, we develop individualized rehabilitation programs that prepare injured workers to successfully return to work while minimizing the risk of re-injury.
Every Job Has Different Physical Demands
One of the biggest mistakes in occupational rehabilitation is assuming every worker has the same physical requirements. Every occupation places different demands on the body. Returning a heavy equipment operator to work is different than returning a nurse. Returning a carpenter is different than returning an accountant. Returning a shipbuilder is different than returning a teacher. That’s why one of the first things we do is understand your job.
We review job descriptions, analyze the physical requirements of your occupation, and identify the specific movements, lifting requirements, postures, endurance demands, and repetitive tasks required for a safe return to work.
Your rehabilitation program is then built around those demands—not simply your diagnosis.
Rehabilitation That Mirrors the Workplace
One of the advantages of Forza Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine is our ability to recreate many of the physical demands encountered in the workplace.
Our clinic is equipped with rehabilitation equipment that allows us to progressively prepare workers for real-world occupational activities, including:
- Lifting
- Carrying
- Pushing
- Pulling
- Squatting
- Climbing
- Reaching
- Kneeling
- Overhead work
- Repetitive task simulation
- Endurance training
Rather than simply asking: “Does your shoulder feel better?”
We ask: “Can you safely perform the work your job requires?”
That distinction is one of the foundations of our occupational rehabilitation philosophy.
WE WORK WITH EVERYONE
Our clinicians routinely work with:
- Office professionals
- Teachers
- Healthcare workers
- Manufacturing employees
- Construction workers
- Municipal employees
- Public works employees
- Shipbuilders
- Utility workers
- Linemen
- Warehouse workers
- Mechanics
- Landscapers
- Tradespeople
- Law enforcement
- First responders
- Lobstermen and commercial fishermen
Every occupation presents unique physical challenges, and every rehabilitation program should reflect those differences.
Collaboration Is Essential
Successful return-to-work rehabilitation requires communication.
At Forza Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, we work closely with:
- Referring physicians
- Occupational medicine providers
- Case managers
- Nurse case managers
- Workers’ compensation carriers
- Employers
- Human resource departments
We believe everyone involved in your recovery should understand your progress, your work restrictions, and your readiness to safely return to work.
That collaboration helps ensure your rehabilitation progresses efficiently while supporting appropriate medical documentation and communication throughout the recovery process.
A Strong Partnership with Maine Employers
Over the years, we’ve developed strong relationships with employers throughout Central Maine, including extensive experience caring for employees of Bath Iron Works.
We understand the physical demands associated with shipbuilding and industrial work and collaborate closely with providers, case managers, and employers to help workers safely return to their jobs.
Whether your work involves welding, fabrication, electrical systems, machining, administration, or heavy material handling, rehabilitation should prepare you for the specific demands of your position.
Why They Choose Forza
Returning to work is about more than healing an injury. It’s about restoring confidence. Knowing your body can safely perform the demands of your job. Providing for your family. Returning to the career you’ve worked hard to build.
Our clinicians combine evidence-based rehabilitation, individualized treatment planning, and close communication with your healthcare team to help you return to work safely and confidently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you accept workers’ compensation cases?
Yes. We routinely work with workers’ compensation insurance carriers, employers, physicians, and case managers to coordinate care and help injured workers return safely to work.
I was told to go to another clinic. Can I still come to Forza Physical Therapy?
Yes. Initially, your employer may select your health care provider. After 10 days from the start of treatment, you may select a different provider. You should understand that you have a choice. If you have been referred to physical therapy after a medical evaluation of your work injury and wish to receive care from us, we recommend you request the referring provider direct you to us. If they prefer you go to another site, you may switch after 10 days. (Maine Workman’s Compensation Board: https://www.maine.gov/wcb/medtreatment.html)
Will you communicate with my employer or case manager?
When appropriate and with your authorization, yes. We regularly collaborate with employers, case managers, physicians, and insurance representatives to help coordinate your care and facilitate a safe return to work.
What if I have work restrictions?
Your rehabilitation program will be designed around your current abilities while progressively preparing you for the physical demands of your job. We work closely with your physician and other members of your healthcare team to ensure your progression is safe and appropriate.
Can physical therapy help me avoid missing more work?
In many cases, yes. Early evaluation and appropriate rehabilitation can often help reduce recovery time, improve function, and support a safe return to work, though recovery timelines vary depending on the injury and the physical demands of your occupation.
Your Job Matters. Your Recovery Matters.
Whether your work requires lifting steel, caring for patients, operating machinery, working at a computer, or anything in between, we’re committed to helping you return safely, confidently, and prepared for the demands of your profession.
Schedule an evaluation today and let us help you get back to work—and back to life.
