On this episode of the WorkSAFE Podcast, we are joined by Lori Frederic, founder of Balanced Biomechanics. She has spent more than 20 years helping people move in ways that enhance their quality of life. Frederick provides essential expertise in the cause of body aches and using early intervention to address them.
At some point in our lives, we all experience aches and pains. They may come from age, activities, on-the-job duties, or simply sleeping in the wrong position. Often, these pains are temporary. But at other times, the discomfort eventually becomes a part of our everyday lives.
Understanding the source of the pain is important, but so is addressing it before it becomes difficult to manage. This might mean making modifications or seeking help from a professional.
Listen to this episode of the WorkSAFE Podcast, or read the show notes below.
Early intervention: The key to preventing long-term discomfort
At Balanced Biomechanics, the goal is to prevent injuries from graduating into long-term pain and discomfort. Frederic has an extensive background in caring for the body, from working as a personal trainer and conditioning specialist to becoming a sports massage therapist. However, after her father went through a double hip replacement, she honed in on injury prevention.
“I dug into getting him ready for surgery and then helping him through surgery,” she explained. “And then when he was getting physical therapy on the other end, I was the one asking a million questions.” Frederic didn’t just want to know what her father couldn’t do during the healing process, but what he could still do. The healing process from major surgery is complex, but her father came through it with success. That experience led her to early intervention and injury prevention.
The benefit of early intervention
Balanced Biomechanics offers the benefit of early intervention to employees in high-hazard industries. They often encounter injuries over time from the type of work they do, such as strains and sprains.
Typically, they don’t seek help for pain or discomfort they experience. As a result, old or minor injuries often grow worse. Further, a personal trainer or a massage therapist isn’t a visit they would usually make.
Early intervention: The first step is reporting an injury
One of the most important elements of early intervention is reporting an injury before it escalates. “Every company is different as far as their protocol on how they do that,” Frederic explained. Most that she’s encountered have a safety professional and reporting process. Smaller companies that don’t have as much support route the process through a human resources team.
“The most frustrating thing is if someone’s going to push early reporting, and they don’t have any early solutions to provide the employee from there,” she expressed. Without a plan or solution in place, employee injuries simply go unaddressed.
Why don’t employees report injuries sooner?
Employees may avoid reporting an injury for any number of reasons. Frederic finds that certain industries have a culture of “sucking it up“, or pressing on through the pain. Complaining of aches and pains is seen as an excuse to not get work done in the eyes of what she refers to as “old-school” employers.
Other people prioritize getting work done and team comradery over getting help. For example, employees who feel this way are often former athletes or veterans. They see seeking out medical attention or needing accommodations as something that holds back their coworkers.
Care can come from different types of providers. However, some people believe their injuries can only be addressed by a doctor. They may even wait an extended amount of time to be seen for something relatively minor.
The importance of body education
For Frederic, one of the best ways to overcome employee resistance to reporting is body education. A wide variety of expertise exists; athletic trainers, massage therapists, and physical and occupational therapists all have insight into anticipating and treating injuries before they escalate.
Not every injury needs to be addressed with surgery, medicine, or a series of appointments. But employees don’t always know this. “I think a lot of the mentality is that, ‘Well, if I’m complaining about something, it’s gonna be really big and I’m gonna have to go to the doctor’,” she shared. “They see this huge process out of it.”
Early intervention doesn’t always mean medical attention. It can be as simple as stretching at home or regularly before work. And when other employees see that injuries can be addressed without urgent care visits or complex medications, they are more likely to report it.
What is an industrial athlete?
An industrial athlete is an employee who is well-equipped to work in an industry that requires manual labor and movement. An important hallmark of an industrial athlete is preparing before jumping into work. This might include stretching or other physical conditioning. Frederic compares industrial athletes to real ones. Not every rough game or match merits a trip to the hospital. Recovery time, conditioning, and rest are often the prescribed treatment.
“We like to have this conversation on hurt versus injured,” she explained. Injuries are something that may take an athlete out of a game completely. But pain may simply result from hard or repetitive work. Early intervention is all about improving and eliminating pain from regular performance activities. This prevents that temporary pain from becoming a real injury down the line.
The circle of trust
For Frederic, a ‘circle of trust’ exists between employers, employees, work comp providers, and healthcare providers. Many medical and non-medical treatments exist within that circle. “Everyone should be on the same team in my opinion,” she shared. At the center of any plan should be determining the best treatment for the complaint that’s being reported.
The benefit of early intervention
Early intervention is all about getting employees to feel better sooner. Trying different solutions is part of the process, including basic first aid. “If we can get the employee thinking a little bit differently about their body, the body is an amazing tool,” she said. “We were wonderfully made. All its systems should work well to heal, especially the annoying aches and soreness that we really just try to get through.”
Recordable vs. non-recordable treatment
For the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there are two kinds of first aid: recordable and non-recordable. Recordable treatment encapsulates treatment used to manage a workplace injury or illness. Most medical procedures fall under the umbrella of recordable treatment. Physical therapy and visiting a chiropractor are also considered recordable.
Non-recordable first aid includes simple treatment. For example, using bandages, removing splinters, drinking fluids, or taking non-prescription medication at a non-prescription strength. Massages and hot/cold therapy are also included as non-recordable.
Early intervention innovations
Not only does early intervention help save employees from more serious pain down the line, but it also offers an alternative when traditional medical treatment may not be the best course of action yet. For instance, Frederic points out that lower back pain is often poorly treated. Employees go home with pain medication and no real solutions to the cause, leading to extended suffering and worsened pain over weeks and months.
The right professional educates an employee on different ways to move their body and introduces them to new tools. One tool Frederic champions is kinesiology tape. “You should reach for a tape before you reach for Advil or Tylenol or ice even,” she explained. When we feel pain, our first inclination is to try to rub it away with our hands. But our brains can become confused by the mixed signals of pain and touch, causing the discomfort to last longer.
Kinesiology tape lifts the skin just enough to allow the right kind of signals, resulting in better circulation and faster healing. “The tape is something to reduce pain and reduce inflammation. And when you can buy a box for 20 bucks that gives you like seven applications, you can’t put it on wrong. Anyone can put it on. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
Building a robust wellness program
Having a robust wellness program is one of the best things employers can do to make sure employees are mentally and physically equipped to do their jobs.
Frederic recommends combining wellness programs with safety and ergonomics programs. “I’ve often heard that wellness programs are really great for the well people,” she commented. Wellness programs tend to favor and reward those who are already in great shape. However, employers should incorporate stretching and movement to form a more dynamic program.
“When we can combine and partner with the safety silo and then ergonomic sits under that, it’s more about injury prevention.” Layering these efforts is about showing employees it’s important for them to feel better and move well on the job. Physical resilience is a critical form of personal protection on the job.