Back to health: Quicker recovery from back injury

Back pain and strain are more common than you think, with lifting and carrying things, often that are too heavy or in an awkward position, one of the leading causes of ACC claims in the workplace. Slips and falls at work or during sports can also result in serious injury.

The thing about back pain and injury is you can’t wish it away. It can vary from a dull ache to a sharp, stabbing sensation in your back and down your leg. It can cause stiffness, be tender to touch and impact basic functions such as sitting, walking, and sleeping. A back injury can even result in loss of power to your leg, or pins and needles or numbness.  When you have it, it’s really hard to avoid it!

For serious back injuries, navigating the different parts of our health system on your own can be one of the biggest barriers to a fast recovery. Many people are not sure who to see, how to register an ACC claim or how to get more assistance to return to work, sport or the things they love.

But help is on the way to ensure you can return to full health quicker.  

After a 4-year pilot trial, ACC launched a new programme on March 4th to speed up the recovery times that Habit Health will be part of. 

The new programme is designed to help those with serious knee, shoulder and back injuries that require advanced care by assisting them through the health system including surgical or specialist consultation, seamlessly connecting appointments and treatments resulting in a faster recovery.

In the trial, people with serious back injuries recovered much faster, returning to work and play sooner than those whose cases weren’t being closely managed. The new patient pathway improved both the physical health and patient satisfaction of those suffering injury as they experienced faster and more hands-on care and support in a system that can often be overwhelming and unsupportive. 

This new Integrated Care Pathway (ICP) will be accessible to anyone who meets ACC’s injury selection criteria and is a game-changer for injury rehabilitation. 

You will be connected with a health navigator whose job is to coordinate and connect you to all the support you need to recover, triage to assess what care you need, and receive a recovery plan outlining the steps to your recovery. The navigator takes all the work and stress out of recovery by making sure you get the help you need. The Physiotherapy team and Specialist will work together to guide you each step of the way and you will receive rehabilitation sessions (as many as you need to achieve an outcome) free of charge.  You’ll also benefit from new state-of-the-art testing tools to give you accurate updates on how your recovery is tracking, ensuring you reach your best to minimise the risk of re-injury.      

Backed by this new ACC system we’re taking the hassle out of recovery so you can get back to ‘better’, faster! 

Book a time to see one of our physiotherapists for an initial consultation to see if you qualify for ICP.