Physiotherapy in Occupational Health

1. Physiotherapy in Occupational Health Johanna Koroma Diacor Health Services

2. Core Competencies • Assessment of physical work load • Balancing physical work load by applying ergonomics • Prevention of work related strain injuries and musculoskeletal disorders • Promotion of functional and working capacity

3. Promoting a Well-functioning Working Environment • Participates in assessing the work load and ergonomic factors related to musculoskeletal disorders • Takes part in developing and planning of working conditions • Provides information about physical stress factors at workplace, for manufacturing and product engineering, for furniture design and lay-out planning • Takes part in the assessment and selection of optimal furniture, work equipment and ergonomic accessories • Takes part in planning of company fitness facilities

4. Aiming at a Functional Work Community • Participates in multidisciplinary development projects in the work community • Plans and implements actions to promote and maintain working capacity • Informs different personnel groups about factors causing musculoskeletal stress and about connection between mental stress and physical symptoms/physical condition • Takes part in planning, developing and implementing company fitness services

5. Benefiting the Well-being of the Employee • Gives instructions for the promotion and maintenance of functional and working capacity, based on individual physical examination • Guides to choose optional work movements and postures, optimal work equipment and tools • Assesses the need for physiotherapy treatments and participates in planning of rehabilitation • Plans and instructs various group activities e.g. early rehabilitation, relaxation, neck and back groups

6. Physiotherapy in Occupational Health Care as a Service Product Implementation Follow-up Planning Occupational physiotherapist participates as an active member in all these phases

7. The Main Connections- COLLABORATION! • Multidisciplinary occupational health care team (physicians, health nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational hygienists) • Human Resources (HR) • Line organization • Office furniture suppliers and buyers, facility personnel • Manufacturing and product engineers, designers and architects • Occupational safety organization • Physiotherapy private practices and rehabilitation centers

8. Education • Required level: • Degree in physiotherapy • Specialization education program (30 ects points) in polytechnics or qualification training arranged by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (10,5 ects points) • Further education: • Further education courses in occupational health care, occupational safety, ergonomics, biomechanics and sports physiology (minimum 7 days per year) • Master of Science, Medical Faculty, University of Kuopio - ergonomics as major subject

9. Thoughts of Education • The education should provide meetings between different occupational health care experts • To learn teamwork • To empower distributed expertise • To become an expert one needs to take part in a community of practice • To understand of different points of view of expert groups e.g. different goals • Also important to understand one’s strengths and limits

10. The Association of Finnish Physiotherapists in Occupational Safety and Health • Founded in 1976 • All physiotherapists working in occupational health care or in close teamwork with occupational health care personnel and have required education are accepted as members • 650 members • A periodical for members is published 4 times in a year