Early therapy favors back injuries in comp

Early manual therapy for injured workers with low back pain is associated with lower utilization of medical services, lower medical and compensation payments, and shorter disability, according to a study released Tuesday by Workers & # 39; Compensation Research Institute.

Using data from 18 study states, the Cambridge-Massachusetts-based institute examined the results of manual therapy, which it describes as a type of physiotherapy that is "practical … to mobilize or manipulate joints and soft tissues with the intention of increasing joint interval. movement, reducing pain and eliminating soft tissue swelling and inflammation. ”

The average medical cost per claim was $ 4,1

92 for lower back injuries with early manual therapy, 27% lower than for similar claims with late manual treatment, according to

Researchers also found that workers who received manual therapy within two weeks of traditional physiotherapy needed fewer MRIs, 30.3% versus 43.4%, reception with fewer opioid prescriptions, 18.6% versus 23.3%, and had minor pain treatments, 12.6% versus 16.5%.

The average compensation per claim was 28% lower when manual treatment was started early and the average temporary a disability per claim was 22% shorter for workers with such early treatment.

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