- Research Article
- 10.1097/jom.0000000000003611
Work Conditioning: The Appropriate Stepped Physical Therapy Care for Injured Workers in Physically Demanding Roles: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
- Nov 11, 2025
- Journal of occupational and environmental medicine
- Adam D Lutz + 5 more +5
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of work conditioning for injured workers with low back pain conditions relative to acute physical therapy. Episodes of injured workers with medium+ physical demand level (PDL) jobs leveraging acute workers' compensation physical therapy with (Acute+) or without (Acute) transition to work conditioning were considered. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) compared visits and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) between Acute and Acute+ cohorts controlling for baseline factors, and χ 2 compared achievement of medium+ PDL capacity between cohorts. Most patients (81%) received only Acute PT. Between-group differences in visits were favorable to Acute, and PRO metrics were all favorable to Acute+ (all P < 0.001). Significantly more (80%) in the Acute+ cohort achieved medium+ PDL than Acute only (57%; P < 0.001). Acute+ increases utilization but yields significantly better PRO metrics.
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