Returning to Work After a Car Accident
Returning to Work After a Car Accident
Injuries as a result of a motor vehicle accident can impair a person’s ability to return to work. When a patient is evaluated, his/her ability to work and the time spent out of work can have a major impact on his/her quality of life.
In a study by Fort et al. (2011), the authors looked at what factors can predict a person’s delayed return to work following a traffic accident. The authors state, “Accidents on the journey to or from work were more frequent among late returners; but, once adjusted for 6-month factors, the type of journey no longer features, being replaced by pain and sequelae” (Fort et al., 2011, p. 289). They also state, “Return to work is a complex issue, depending on the individual, the pathology, rehabilitation and the socioeconomic environment. It is a determining factor in quality of life.” (Fort et al., 2011, p. 283).
“Admission to a resuscitation room or intensive care, cranial trauma, ISS [injury severity score] score >9 and multiple trauma were significantly more frequent in the late return to work group; as were hospital admission, surgery and medical complications in the post-accident phase...” (Fort et al., 2011, p. 285). This study looked at factors that predict a patient’s return to work status following a motor vehicle accident. Taking into account the risk factors and combining them with the patient’s examination findings and functional abilities will all lend to an accurate treatment plan to return the patient to work as quickly as possible.
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Spine & Injury Centers of San Antonio is a local network of 5 chiropractic offices. As a group, we are raising the standard of care for injured patients and their families.
If you have recently been in a car accident, or had a personal injury, sports injury, or exercise injury, and are experiencing back pain, neck pain, knee pain, whiplash, headaches, leg pain, etc, our San Antonio injury chiropractors can help!
Our goal is to get you back to living a pain-free life as quickly as possible.
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Reference:
Fort, E., Bouffard, E, Charnay, P., Bernard, M., Boisson, D., Laumon, B., & Hours, M. (2011). Return to work following road accidents: Factors associated with late work resumption. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 43(4), 283-291.