Workers Compensation Clinic in Missouri for Work Injury Care
Specialized Rehabilitation to Help You Return to Work Safely
If you’ve experienced a work-related injury or are recovering from a physically demanding job incident, Core Medical Center offers Work Conditioning and Work Hardening programs designed to restore your ability to safely return to your job. Our multidisciplinary rehabilitation team provides evidence-based, job-specific therapy that goes beyond standard physical therapy.
What Is the Difference Between Work Conditioning and Work Hardening?
Both work conditioning and work hardening are goal-driven rehabilitation programs, but they serve different stages of recovery:
Work Conditioning
Focuses on improving general physical capacity—such as strength, flexibility, endurance, and mobility—to help you prepare for job duties. It is typically initiated once a patient has healed enough to begin rebuilding tolerance for physical activity.
Work Hardening
is more intensive and job-specific. It replicates actual work tasks and incorporates physical therapy, occupational therapy, and functional capacity training. It’s designed for patients nearing the end of their recovery but who need structured, progressive exposure to real job duties before returning to full work responsibilities.
At Core Medical Center, we evaluate your job description and physical limitations, then build a program that mirrors your workplace demands—ensuring a safe, confident, and sustainable return to work.
Work Conditioning & Work Hardening for Work Injuries & MVA Rehab
Specialized Physical Therapy for Workers’ Comp, Personal Injury & Return-to-Work Support in Missouri & Kansas
At Core Medical Center, we understand that workplace and auto accident injuries don’t just cause pain—they disrupt your livelihood, delay recovery, and create stress around returning to work. That’s why we offer advanced Work Conditioning and Work Hardening programs, specifically designed for workers’ compensation, motor vehicle accident (MVA), and personal injury cases.
We serve injured workers and accident victims across the Kansas City metro with comprehensive, coordinated care—far beyond what most physical therapy clinics provide.
Most Clinics Don’t Know the Difference—We Do.
Many providers lump “work rehab” into general physical therapy, missing the critical distinctions that attorneys, adjusters, and case managers rely on. At Core Medical Center, we specialize in differentiating and delivering both:
Work Conditioning
Focus
Rebuild general strength, flexibility, endurance, and mobility
Goal
Prepare injured patients physically for their specific job demands
Typical Use
Transition between standard physical therapy and job-specific training
Care Team
Licensed Physical Therapists with job-focused rehabilitation experience
Work Hardening
Focus
Simulate actual job tasks with multi-disciplinary care
Goal
Safely restore a patient to pre-injury work capacity
Typical Use
Final stage before return-to-work; often includes FCE, psychology, pain management
Care Team
Integrated PTs, OTs, case managers, pain management providers, and behavioral health as needed
Who Benefits from These Programs?
Our Work Conditioning and Work Hardening services are tailored for:
Workers’ Compensation Injuries
Sprains, strains, repetitive trauma, post-surgical recovery, lifting injuries
Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVA)
Especially where return-to-work delays or physical reconditioning are necessary
Personal Injury Patients
Where functional loss or prolonged absence has impacted ability to meet physical demands
Industrial and Labor Occupations
Warehouse, law enforcement, healthcare, construction, logistics, etc.
We are trusted by employers, attorneys, and claims adjusters to deliver compliant, defensible care that reduces risk of re-injury and gets patients safely back on the job.
Our Proven Approach:
Functional, Measurable, Defensible
When you choose Core Medical Center, you’re choosing:
Objective Documentation for Legal and Insurance Use
We provide clear reports outlining job-specific restrictions, work tolerance, impairment levels, and causation narratives, helping attorneys and case managers advocate effectively.
Comprehensive Functional Assessments
Including initial FCEs (Functional Capacity Evaluations), progress benchmarks, and discharge criteria that align with employer expectations and claim documentation.
Progressive Simulation of Job Demands
Patients engage in simulated work environments that mirror the lifting, standing, reaching, and endurance needed for their specific role.
Multidisciplinary Treatment Plans
Our programs involve not just physical therapists, but occupational therapists, chiropractors, medical providers, and behavioral health experts when indicated.
Psychological and Pain Management Support (if needed)
We recognize that fear of re-injury, anxiety, and chronic pain are real barriers to return-to-work. Our providers address these head-on with integrated care.
Conditions Treated in Our Work Conditioning & Work Hardening Programs
We help patients recover from:
Acute and chronic back pain
Neck and shoulder injuries
Post-surgical orthopedic recovery
Repetitive motion syndromes
Overuse injuries and tendonitis
Workplace lifting or strain injuries
Motor vehicle accident–related deconditioning
Functional limitations due to prolonged disability
Whether your injury was caused by a job, a crash, or a personal injury event, we tailor care to your exact physical and legal needs.
Why Core Medical Center is Different
Many clinics treat injured workers. Few understand the full clinical, legal, and functional picture. At Core Medical Center:
We specialize in occupational and personal injury rehabilitation
Our providers are trained in workers’ comp protocols, FCEs, and OWCP (federal) documentation
We communicate directly with attorneys, employers, and case managers
You won’t find cookie-cutter care here. You’ll find real-world rehab, built around your goals, your job, and your life.
Work Conditioning & Work Hardening FAQs
Is this covered under insurance?
If your insurance is medicare and commercial, we are in-network. They will cover it at whatever rate they are contracted and if its MVA is typically on lien or med pay or pip or both, work comp is covered by the carrier.
What’s the difference between work conditioning and work hardening?
Work conditioning builds general physical readiness, while work hardening simulates job tasks and includes a broader care team. Core Medical offers both, depending on your recovery stage.
Will this help my workers’ comp case?
Yes. We provide accurate functional documentation, return-to-work recommendations, and progress notes that support claim resolution and case value.
Do you work with attorneys and adjusters?
Absolutely. We communicate directly with your legal or insurance team and provide timely, defensible documentation.
How often will I come in?
Most programs run 3–5 days/week for 2–6 weeks, depending on injury severity, occupation, and claim type.
Is this covered by insurance or workers’ comp?
In most cases, yes. We verify all benefits and coordinate approvals before you begin.
Medically Integrated Practice Near Me
OFFICE HOURS
Our occupational medicine hours are
Monday through Friday, 9 am – 7 pm