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Physical Therapy and the Neuropathies

© Les Abrams

Author's note: Unfortunately, this is another Tale From the Crypt - actually it is about how the Worker's Compensation (WC) board is able to take a wonderful and helpful therapy program, that could help the worker, and trash it. Thus the worker, who suffers an injury at work - should immediately go out and get into an automobile and proceed to become involved in a car accident. In this way, the worker i guaranteed to get fair treatment, to get adequate medical coverage, and may even receive some compensation for lost functionality.

Some Background

There is a very well reknown therapeutic facility in central Connecticut by the name of Gaylord Hospital. Gaylord is known for its fine and effective therapeutic programs for patients that suffer a wide variety of injuries and diseases. I have had the opportunity to observe the treatment of a patient - who has suffered an industrial injury - that resulted in the manifestation of several neuropathic diseases.

The first phase of the treatment of the patient was kind, loving, gentle and very effective. The treatment given was so gentle that the stress level of the patient was greatly reduced. After treatment, the patient was relaxed and the level of neuropathic pain was greatly reduced.

But - and this is the fly in the ointment so to speak - the injury was covered by Worker's Compensation (WC). Eventually, they - the WC - had decided that this patient has had enough of these expensive treatments and it was time for them (the WC) to get out from under the onus of the expense.

Enter the Worker's Compensation Dicta

The head of the physical and occupational (PT and OT) therapy department at Gaylord apparently working in conjunction with the WC, began a series of PT and OT treatments designed to put the patient back to work. This program is known as "Work Hardening".

As it seems to be generally known and demonstrated, the sole purpose of the WC is to provide insurance for the employer against a possible lawsuit by an injured worker. There is no benefit to the injured worker whatsoever, unless the worker sues the WC. This procedure - get injured; get some treatment; get a very deficient settlement; and in short - get shafted; is de rigeur of the WC.

Work Hardening - is a most brutal program of physical and occuptional therapy. The patient with perhaps an "ordinary" (i.e. non-neuropathic) injury or disease, may respond reasonably well to this particular kind of "hard therapy". In the case of sports figures - it is mandatory - if they are ever again to play in their sport.

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