Physiotherapy in Occupational Health

The physiotherapist has an essential role in the workplace and in industry, both in the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries sustained in the work environment and also in the prevention of such injuries through ergonomic advice and planned exercise regimes. This book draws together aspects of good physiotherapy practice in the occupational health context for the practical use of all physiotherapists who are concerned with the protection, maintenance and improvement of the health and well-being of people at work. Topics covered include the ergonomic approach, human movement at work, health education, fitness and health programmes, cumulative trauma injuries as well as occupational stress, organizational issues and the important activities of costing practice and carrying out research. The editors have assembled an impressive range of contributions from experts with specific expertise in various aspects of practice within occupational health.

This project explored the role of occupational health physiotherapy from the perspectives of different stakeholders in order to inform the development of a new multiple-perspective conceptual framework to advance the practice of occupational health physiotherapists. Although this new conceptual framework cannot guarantee the success of the proposed role, it can assist occupational health physiotherapists in negotiating new and advanced working practices and potentially support the role embed within the mandate of an occupational health service. A secondary analysis of the multiple-perspective conceptual framework identified three core concepts, namely risk work, professional identity, and coaching.