Peoples Injury Network Northwest -- Physical Therapy in Kent and Tacoma

Programs and Services

Philosophy
	Our overall goal is to provide the best quality of therapy or evaluation available to assist clients in reaching their work and daily life goals. We provide objective documentation of physical and functional limitations with validity testing. We emphasize team coordination with the physician, vocational counselor, case manager, claims manager, and employer to ensure successful progression towards claims resolution.
Work Conditioning
	This program couples occupational therapy with physical therapy and focuses on improving the client's physical and functional tolerances to meet specific return-to-work goals or to improve a client's ability to return to any type of employment. It involves individualized programs for exercise, conditioning, work activity tolerances, and self-management. It emphasizes educating the client about body mechanics, re-injury prevention, and work safety. Our evaluations provide documentation of objective physical limitations in relation to the return-to-work goal and may also help identify whether there are other factors that may limit a client's ability to meet their therapy and return-to-work goals. This program is appropriate for two types of clients: (1) those who are close to being able to return to work or are in a light-duty gradual return-to-work plan, or (2) those who are severely de-conditioned and need to participate in this program prior to being able to tolerate work hardening. Program duration is 2 hours a day, and usually daily for 4 weeks.
Work Hardening
	This program contains all of the components of work conditioning, but also gradually increases a client's physical and functional work tolerances for an 8-hour day. In addition to the components provided for work conditioning, there is a strong emphasis on work simulation. Specific return-to-work or retraining goals are set and the physical work demands of the goal(s) are simulated in our clinic. Program duration is 4 to 8 hours a day, daily for 4 weeks.
Performance-Based Physical Capacity Evaluation (PCE)
	This is an evaluation to determine a client's safe physical and functional work tolerances and or limitations. This evaluation includes objective documentation of abilities or limitations with validity testing. The evaluation can be job-specific or generic for the 20 physical demands of work. PINN is staffed and equipped to perform PCEs for any musculoskeletal injury from spine to upper or lower extremities. Our recommendations will take into consideration the job analysis and provide functional levels for safe and successful return to work. The evaluation takes 6 hours and may be performed over 1 or 2 days.
Physical Therapy
	This program focuses on the evaluation and treatment of acute musculoskeletal injuries. It involves the use of modalities, manual treatment, exercises, conditioning, education in self-management, and transition to home exercise programs. The goal is to move the client back to work or a regular lifestyle as quickly as possible. PINN has the staff and evaluation tools to assess whether clients have concerns other than objective physical limitations that would prevent them from reaching their therapy and return-to-work goals. Program duration is usually 1 hour, 2 to 3 times a week for 1 month (12 visits).
Extended Evaluation
	This is an extended physical capacity evaluation that tests functional work tolerances for a specific return-to-work goal and allows the client to actually demonstrate daily work tolerances. The evaluation will include several full days of work simulation, physical capacity evaluation recommendations for return to work, as well as suggestions for job modifications if necessary for the client to meet the return-to-work goal. Specific physical demands of the return-to-work goal should be provided during the referral to allow time to arrange for the necessary equipment or tools to be used for the work simulation. The evaluation requires 8-hour sessions over 2 to 5 days.
Vibrasym Driving Evaluation
	This evaluation uses the Vibrasym driving simulator to assess tolerances to the physical components of driving. (While there is some response time measurement, the evaluation does not thoroughly assess the cognitive components of driving.) The simulator duplicates the dynamic vibration of both engine and road conditions, and can be adjusted for different vehicles, from vans to tractor-trailer trucks. It gives variable resistance and responses to the G-forces associated with acceleration, braking, steering, shock, and sway. The simulator can be set to duplicate the force required to operate hand controls for steering and shifting and foot controls for braking, clutching, and acceleration. The recommendations will include the demonstrated tolerances for sitting, and operation of hand and foot controls. The evaluation can last from 1 to 5 days.
Job Modification
	This is a claim-specific, job-specific, on-site evaluation that assesses the client's work environment, work practices, and work equipment. The evaluation identifies changes that are necessary at the work site to increase the client's ability to perform the demands of their job that they otherwise could not do based on an objective medical restriction. The recommendations will include equipment suggestions or fabrication (list of possible vendors provided), and work practices suggestions with an outlined plan for resolution and implementation. Follow-up visits for equipment, education, or training are available. PINN staff can fill out and submit job modification applications for the Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) if necessary.
Ergonomic Assessment
	This is an on-site assessment that looks at the work environment, work practices, and work equipment of a company or a job. The assessment determines the hazard or risk levels of a job in accordance with the Department of Labor and Industry's ergonomic rule and also focuses on worker safety and decreasing the potential for injury. The recommendations will include suggestions for equipment, and work practices changes with an outlined plan for resolution of any work place concern. Follow-up visits for equipment, education, or training are available.
Job Analysis
	This is an on-site assessment to determine the physical demands of a job. This includes on-site observation and documentation (with photographs or videos if requested) of job activities, as well as interviews with appropriate individuals (employer, employee, supervisor, union representative). The job analysis report will include specific breakdown of the physical demands of the job and a full description of work activities. The analysis requires 2 to 8 hours, depending on job components.