Hurt at Work? How Physical Therapy Fits In

By Nova Physical Therapy, an outpatient physical therapy clinic in North Hollywood, CA | Published October 2026

You lifted a box the wrong way in the warehouse. Your shoulder started aching after weeks of overhead work. Your wrist has been sore since you started a new job with a lot of repetitive tasks. Now you're wondering what to do next, and how to get back to work without making it worse.

Work injuries are common, and most people recover with the right care and a gradual return to their job. This article explains what to do right after a work injury, when to see a doctor, how physical therapy fits into recovery, and how to lower the chance of getting hurt again.

This article is general health information, not legal or workers' compensation advice. For questions about your claim, contact your employer, your claims administrator, or California's Division of Workers' Compensation.

The short answer

After a work injury, get emergency care if you need it, report the injury to your employer right away, and follow your employer's process for medical care. In California, the Division of Workers' Compensation warns that if you don't report your injury within 30 days, you could lose your right to workers' compensation benefits (California DWC). Once a physician has evaluated you, physical therapy can help you recover strength and movement, stay as active as is safe, and plan a gradual return to your job. Many common work injuries, like back strains, shoulder pain, and wrist problems, respond well to an active, exercise-based plan.

What should I do right after a work injury?

• Get emergency care if needed. If it's an emergency, call 911 or go to an emergency room right away, and tell the staff the injury happened at work (California DWC).
• Report it to your employer. Tell your supervisor as soon as possible, even if the injury seems minor. Symptoms sometimes get worse over the next day or two.
• Follow your employer's process. Your employer can tell you how to file a claim and where to get medical care. California's DWC Information and Assistance Unit can answer questions about the process (California DWC).
• Write down what happened. Note the date, time, what you were doing, and your symptoms. This helps your medical providers understand your injury.
• Protect the injured area, but keep moving gently. For most strains and sprains, a short period of taking it easy followed by gradual, comfortable movement is better than long rest.

When should I see a doctor?

Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you have:

• A fall from a height, a crush injury, or an injury involving heavy machinery or a vehicle
• A hit to the head, especially with confusion, vomiting, or loss of consciousness
• A limb that looks deformed, or you can't move it or put weight on it
• Numbness or weakness in your arms or legs, or loss of bladder or bowel control
• Chest pain, trouble breathing, heavy bleeding, or a deep cut

See a physician promptly if you have:

• Pain that's severe or getting worse
• Swelling, bruising, or a pop or snap at the time of injury
• Numbness, tingling, or pain spreading down an arm or leg
• Symptoms that aren't improving after a few days
• Pain from repetitive work that keeps coming back or is affecting your job

For work injuries, your physician's evaluation and your employer's medical process usually come first. Medication, imaging, and work-restriction decisions are made by your physician.

How does physical therapy help?

Physical therapy focuses on helping you recover function, not just reduce pain. For example, the APTA's low back pain guideline supports exercise, manual therapy, and education for both new and long-lasting low back pain (George et al., JOSPT 2021).

A physical therapy evaluation may include:

• How the injury happened and what your job requires day to day
• Strength, motion, and flexibility in the injured area
• How you lift, carry, reach, push, pull, kneel, or sit at work
• A review of your physician's notes and any work restrictions
• Screening for signs that need a physician's follow-up

A typical plan may include:

• Exercises to restore movement and strength, progressed over time
• Hands-on treatment, when it helps you move more comfortably
• Practice with job-specific tasks, like lifting, carrying, or overhead work
• Guidance on body mechanics, pacing, and breaks
• Communication with your physician about your progress
• A home program you can keep doing on your own

Physical therapy doesn't guarantee a specific result or timeline, and some injuries need further medical care.

At Nova Physical Therapy in North Hollywood, work injury physical therapy is one of our core services, and every plan starts with an evaluation so treatment fits what we find. Nova works with several workers' compensation networks; see our insurance page or call to confirm.

How long until I can go back to work?

It depends on the injury, your job's physical demands, and how you're progressing. Someone with a mild back strain and a desk job may return quickly, while someone with a shoulder injury and a job that involves heavy overhead lifting may need longer.

Return-to-work decisions, including any restrictions or modified duty, are made by your physician. Physical therapy can support that process by:

• Building the strength and endurance your job requires
• Practicing the tasks you'll need to do
• Helping you understand which activities are safe as you recover
• Sharing progress with your physician so restrictions can be updated

For many injuries, staying active and returning gradually, sometimes with lighter duties at first, supports recovery better than long periods away from activity. Your physician will guide what's right for you.

How can I prevent it from happening again?

• Build strength and endurance for the work you do, not just general fitness.
• Use good lifting habits. Keep loads close to your body, bend at your hips and knees, avoid twisting while lifting, and get help or equipment for heavy or awkward items.
• Break up repetitive tasks. Change positions, rotate tasks when you can, and take short movement breaks.
• Set up your workstation. Keep frequently used tools and materials between waist and shoulder height.
• Report early symptoms. Small aches from repetitive work are easier to address before they become bigger problems.
• Build back gradually after time off or a change in duties.

Do I need a referral for physical therapy in California?

Not to get started. California allows direct access to physical therapy. A physical therapist can evaluate and treat you without a referral for up to 45 calendar days or 12 visits, whichever comes first. After that, a physician or podiatrist needs to sign the plan of care for treatment to continue. Your insurance plan may have its own referral rules, so check your coverage. For workers' compensation injuries, follow your employer's or claims administrator's process for medical care.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to report a minor work injury?
It's a good idea to tell your employer about any work injury, even if it seems minor. In California, not reporting an injury within 30 days could affect your right to benefits. Ask your employer or the Division of Workers' Compensation about the process.

Can I see a physical therapist for a work injury?
Often, yes. For workers' compensation injuries, your care usually goes through your employer's or claims administrator's process, which may include authorization. Ask your claims administrator, and call the clinic to confirm.

Should I rest completely after a work injury?
For most strains and sprains, no. A short period of taking it easy followed by gradual movement usually helps more than long rest. Follow your physician's guidance.

What are the most common work injuries?
Common ones include back strains from lifting, shoulder problems from overhead or repetitive work, wrist and hand problems from repetitive tasks, and sprains or fractures from slips, trips, and falls.

What if my pain started slowly instead of from one accident?
Injuries from repetitive work can build up over time. If you think your job caused or worsened your symptoms, report it to your employer and get it checked.

Can physical therapy help me return to modified duty?
Yes. A physical therapist can help you build the strength and tolerance for your job's tasks, while your physician sets and updates your work restrictions.

Do I need a referral to see a physical therapist?
For non-work injuries, California allows direct access within the limits described above. For workers' compensation injuries, follow your employer's or claims administrator's process for authorization.

About Nova Physical Therapy

Nova Physical Therapy is an outpatient physical therapy clinic in North Hollywood, California, led by a Doctor of Physical Therapy. We help people recover from work injuries, back and neck pain, sports injuries, auto accident injuries, knee pain, and shoulder problems, and we also work with balance problems and rehab after surgery. Patients come to us from North Hollywood, Burbank, Studio City, Toluca Lake, Valley Village, and across the San Fernando Valley. Learn more about Nova or see our services.

Schedule an evaluation

If a work injury is affecting your job or your daily life, an evaluation can help you build a plan to recover and return to work safely.

Nova Physical Therapy
4795 Vineland Ave #E, North Hollywood, CA 91602
Call (818) 639-3402 | Book an appointment online

Disclaimer

This article is for general education only. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment recommendation for any individual. It is not legal or workers' compensation advice. For questions about your claim, contact your employer, your claims administrator, or the California Division of Workers' Compensation. Only an in-person evaluation can determine what is right for you. No treatment guarantees symptom resolution, and results vary. Physical therapists evaluate movement and function within their scope of practice and refer to physicians when findings warrant. Physical therapy in California is regulated by the Physical Therapy Board of California.

References

1. California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Workers' Compensation. Injured worker information. Link
2. George SZ, Fritz JM, Silfies SP, et al. Interventions for the Management of Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain: Revision 2021. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2021;51(11):CPG1–CPG60. Link