OBJECTIVE

To evaluate how initiating physical therapy (PT) early affected (1) case duration and (2) the number of PT visits, in patients with acute work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs).

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study of 83 846 patients with WMSDs who were receiving occupational health services between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2022.

METHODS

Patients were categorized according to the time from injury to initiating PT (0-2 days, 3-7 days, 8-12 days, and 13+ days). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze case duration and PT visits across 7 diagnostic groups (lumbar spine, thoracic spine, cervical spine, shoulder/humerus, elbow/wrist/hand, knee, and ankle/foot). Kruskal-Wallis tests assessed the impact of PT timing on outcomes.

RESULTS

Initiating PT early (0-2 days) was associated with significantly shorter case durations and fewer PT visits across all diagnostic groups. The median case duration for early PT was 14 days, compared to 28 days for initiating PT later (13+ days). Similarly, the early PT group required fewer PT visits (median: 4) than the late PT group (median: 5). These trends were consistent across all diagnostic groups.

CONCLUSION

Initiating PT early, particularly within the first 2 days postinjury, was associated with shorter case durations and fewer PT sessions in people with acute WMSDs. Standardizing early PT protocols in occupational health settings could improve case durations and reduce health care use.