217 - Protecting the Aging Workforce

The global workforce is aging, bringing valuable experience but also increasing the risk of chronic diseases and musculoskeletal injuries, such as rotator cuff tears. These injuries are becoming more common among older workers, impacting their productivity. Physical therapy has been shown to alleviate pain and improve function for many partial and some small full-thickness rotator cuff tears, especially if they are degenerative. However, rotator cuff repair is widely accepted as an effective treatment for most full-thickness tears and is increasingly used for partial tears as well. This session will focus on strategies to protect the aging workforce and examining treatment methods and their impact on workers' compensation claims, using data from 2002 to 2022 from a nationwide workers' compensation carrier.Topics include: - Protecting the Aging Workforce: An Overview of Current Trends and Implications (Dr. Kalia) - Treatment Approaches for Rotator Cuff Tears in Injured Workers (Dr. Bernacki and Dr. Tsourmas) - Analyzing Workers' Compensation Costs Linked to Rotator Cuff Tear Treatments (Dr. Tao)