'If you have a body and you move, you can benefit from athletic therapy'
Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions have long been a cause of concern for employers — as they can negatively affect workers’ productivity, this can be a pain when it comes to business performance.
One expert, however, suggests that athletic therapy can help address this issue.
"Athletic therapy is essentially focused on musculoskeletal. So anything related to your muscles, they essentially specialise in that area," says Melanie Levac, executive director of the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA), in talking with Canadian HR Reporter.
In North America, MSK is “a $460-billion problem,” Reed Hanoun, founder and CEO of 3motionAI, previously told Canadian HR Reporter.
How does athletic therapy work?
Originally developed for high-performance sports, athletic therapy has since expanded into general care.
"We have athletic therapists on every NHL team, every CFL team. Those that go to the Olympics, they're trained to treat athletes, and that's why they can get person back to active fast,” says Levac.
According to the CATA, the goal of athletic therapists is to help clients return to their usual activities, whether that means playing competitive sports or walking to the mailbox and back.
While athletic therapy and physiotherapy share some similarities, they serve different purposes, notes Levac.
"If you compare like a laser and a floodlight, athletic therapy is the laser to the muscles, and physiotherapy does a bit more. So their scope is a bit broader. So in a sense, [they] could be similar but different in other areas."
Athletic therapists not only treat injuries but also help prevent them, she says.
"If you're a runner, for example, some people like to go run 3 or 5K. They would be able to help you get your body in better alignment so that you're able to perform your activities to the best level."
And this benefits not just workers who are more athletically inclined, she says.
Someone who pulls a muscle while shovelling snow in their driveway during the winter can benefit. An office worker who's in front of a computer all day, who may have body pains, can also benefit.
Levac sums it up simply: "If you have a body and you move, you can benefit from athletic therapy."
Overall, 96% of Canadians want health plans to cover a range of treatments, and 89% would want to have access to athletic therapy if they got injured, according to a previous Ipsos report.
How much does athletic therapy cost companies?
Employers can easily plug athletic therapy into their benefits plans, says Levac. And despite offering added flexibility, incorporating athletic therapy usually has little financial impact on employers, she says.
"What we're asking employers is not to add athletic therapy as a separate category, but to put it jointly with physiotherapy," says Levac.
"Most insurers offer athletic therapy. It's really for the employer to select it, to add it to their plan. I would say that in the end, I think it's actually a reduction in cost, because you're providing more choice and more flexibility."
For employers looking to do this, Levac advises that they first review their current benefits plans.
"Talk to their HR group, or whoever's in charge of the benefits plan, see if it's actually part of their plan, because it might be, and they don't know."
If not already included, she suggests employers speak with their insurers. "Most of the large insurers actually cover athletic therapy. So it could be as simple as, 'Okay, what if we add this here? How much is it going to cost us?' Potentially, the answer is going to be no, it's fine for us."
Ultimately, Levac says, "If somebody's going to spend 500 on physio, but they spend it in athletic therapy, it's the same."
CATA oversees 10 accredited educational institutions across Canada, including two master's programs and several bachelor's degree programs. Graduates must pass CATA’s national certification exam before practising.
Well-being programs promote a happier and a more connected team environment, according to a previous report.
