What Does a WorkCover Exercise Physiologist Actually Do?

Returning to work after an injury can involve more than feeling comfortable during a few exercises.

Work has physical demands.

A builder may need to lift materials from the ground.

A nurse may spend hours standing, walking and assisting patients.

A warehouse worker might repeatedly lift, carry, push and pull.

So when exercise forms part of workplace rehabilitation, it should have a purpose.

A WorkCover Exercise Physiologist uses structured exercise to help build physical capacity towards the demands of work.

That means looking beyond the injury itself and asking an important question:

What does this person’s body actually need to do at work?

What Is WorkCover Exercise Physiology?

WorkCover Exercise Physiology uses exercise and physical conditioning as part of workplace injury rehabilitation.

An Accredited Exercise Physiologist can assess a person’s current physical capacity and develop an exercise program around relevant rehabilitation and work goals.

Depending on the person and their job, this may involve working on:

• Lifting capacity

• Carrying capacity

• Pushing and pulling

• Lower-body strength

• Upper-body strength

• Work tolerance

• Repeated movements

• General physical conditioning

The program should reflect the individual rather than giving every worker the same exercises.

Why Does Work Capacity Matter?

Imagine someone can comfortably lift 5 kg in a clinic.

That’s useful information.

But what if their job regularly requires them to handle much heavier equipment?

Or what if they can lift something once, but their normal shift requires similar movements repeatedly throughout the day?

There can be a gap between being able to perform an exercise and being physically prepared for work.

A return-to-work exercise program can progressively work on that gap.

Instead of asking only:

“Can you do this exercise?”

We can also ask:

“How does this relate to what your job requires?”

That changes how rehabilitation is planned.

What Does a WorkCover Exercise Physiologist Assess?

An assessment will vary depending on the worker, injury, current capacity and job.

The Exercise Physiologist may discuss:

Your work tasks

What does a normal workday actually involve?

This could include lifting, carrying, climbing, kneeling, reaching, walking or operating equipment.

Current physical capacity

The Exercise Physiologist may assess relevant movements and physical qualities to better understand the worker’s starting point.

Current exercise tolerance

How much activity can currently be completed?

How does the person respond to different exercises and workloads?

Rehabilitation goals

Returning to work is not always one big jump from “off work” to “full duties”.

There may be smaller capacity goals along the way.

Understanding those goals helps shape the exercise program.

WorkCover Exercise Physiology Isn’t Just General Gym Training

Two people can perform the same squat and need it for completely different reasons.

For one person, squatting might support general strength.

For a tradie, it could be part of developing the leg and trunk capacity needed to repeatedly work closer to floor level.

The exercise is only one piece.

The reason behind the exercise matters.

Workplace rehabilitation may involve gym exercises, but the program should connect those exercises to the physical demands that matter.

What Might a WorkCover Exercise Program Include?

There isn’t one standard WorkCover program.

Exercise selection depends on the individual and their job demands.

However, a program may include movements such as:

Squats and lower-body exercises

These can build lower-body capacity for tasks involving standing, lifting, stairs or working at different heights.

Deadlift variations

A hinge or deadlift movement can be useful when gradually developing capacity for lifting objects from lower positions.

Loaded carries

Carrying dumbbells, kettlebells or other loads can help train grip, trunk and whole-body capacity.

This can also resemble tasks performed by workers who regularly carry tools or materials.

Pushing and pulling exercises

Rows, presses, sled movements and cable exercises may be used depending on the physical requirements of the job.

Conditioning

Some jobs require physical effort for hours rather than a few minutes.

Cardiovascular and muscular conditioning can therefore be relevant when gradually developing work tolerance.

Why Progressive Loading Matters

You wouldn’t prepare for a 20-kilometre run by running 20 kilometres on your first day.

Work capacity can be approached in a similar way.

The body can be exposed to appropriate physical demands and those demands can gradually change over time.

For example, a lifting exercise might progress through:

1. Learning the movement

2. Building consistency

3. Increasing resistance

4. Increasing repetitions

5. Changing the lifting height

6. Adding carrying or movement

7. Making the task more relevant to work

Not every person will follow this exact progression.

The point is that rehabilitation can have a structure.

What Is Work-Specific Strength Training?

Work-specific strength training doesn’t mean turning the gym into a construction site, hospital or warehouse.

It means understanding the physical qualities the job requires and training those qualities appropriately.

Take a worker who regularly carries equipment.

Their program might involve grip strength, loaded carries, lower-body strength and conditioning.

Someone who repeatedly works overhead may require a different program.

A worker who spends much of the day walking and climbing stairs will have different demands again.

This is why understanding the job matters.

How Coastline Uses Strength and Conditioning in WorkCover Rehabilitation

At Coastline Performance and Health, we are Exercise Physiologists and Strength and Conditioning Coaches.

We use strength and conditioning principles within rehabilitation because work itself can be physically demanding.

That means exercise may progressively involve meaningful resistance and more challenging movements when appropriate.

We aren’t trying to make rehabilitation hard simply for the sake of it.

We want the training demand to make sense for the person and what they’re working towards.

Using Data to Understand Physical Capacity

Progress isn’t always obvious from watching someone exercise.

Where appropriate, Coastline uses VALD Technology, including ForceDecks and DynaMo Plus, as part of our assessment process.

These tools can provide objective information about areas of physical capacity.

That data can sit alongside other information, including:

• The worker’s goals

• Exercise performance

• Work demands

• Current tolerance

• Clinical assessment

Technology doesn’t replace the person in front of us.

It gives us another piece of information when making exercise decisions.

Who Can Be Involved in a Return-to-Work Program?

Workplace rehabilitation can involve several people.

Depending on the situation, this may include the worker, treating practitioners, employer, insurer, rehabilitation provider and other relevant professionals.

The Exercise Physiologist’s role is focused on exercise and physical capacity.

Clear communication can help keep the exercise program connected to the broader rehabilitation and return-to-work plan.

Exercise Physiology for Tradies and Manual Workers

Physical jobs deserve physical preparation.

Tradies and manual workers may need to repeatedly:

• Lift from the ground

• Carry equipment

• Push and pull

• Climb

• Work overhead

• Kneel or squat

• Stay physically active for long periods

A few isolated exercises may not reflect all of those demands.

A structured workplace injury rehabilitation program can progressively develop relevant strength and conditioning based on the person’s role and current capacity.