Return-to-work guide
Returning to work after a back injury
A back injury usually comes with restrictions your treating doctor sets on your certificate of capacity — what to lift, how long to sit or stand, what to leave for now. Nexus Rehab coordinates a return that stays inside those limits and adjusts the work to fit them. Your treating doctor directs the medical side; we organise the workplace side around it.
Building the plan around your certificate of capacity
The certificate of capacity is the reference point for everything that follows. It states what you are cleared to do, and the plan matches tasks to that rather than the other way around. From the referral, Nexus assesses the demands of your role against the restrictions on the certificate, then plans a return that fits. The scheme is built on recovery at work, so the aim is suitable work now within your limits, not a wait until you are back to full duties. As your treating doctor reviews and updates the certificate, the plan moves with it, so what you are asked to do at work keeps pace with what you have been cleared for.
Suitable duties and adjusting the worksite
Suitable duties are modified or alternative tasks that sit within your doctor's limits. For a physical role that can mean lighter tasks, task rotation, mechanical aids, or a change to how a job is set up so it no longer relies on the movement you are restricted from. A workplace and ergonomic assessment looks at the actual work — bench heights, seating, lifting aids, storage, the sequence of tasks — and finds where it can be adjusted. For a desk-based role, limits on sitting can be met with a reviewed workstation and movement built into the day. Nexus arranges these changes with your employer so you can stay at work safely.
A graduated return and checking capacity
A graduated return builds hours and tasks up in stages, each stage matched to an updated certificate of capacity. Where it helps, a functional capacity evaluation can give an objective read of what you can safely manage at work, so duties are set on evidence rather than guesswork. A medical case conference keeps you, your employer, the insurer and your healthcare team aligned on the same plan. If the role genuinely can't be adjusted to fit your restrictions, vocational options are considered as part of the plan. Throughout, Nexus keeps the duties inside the limits your doctor sets, and never beyond them.
This is general information about returning to work, not medical advice. Your treating doctor directs your medical care — Nexus Rehab coordinates the return-to-work side and works to their certificate of capacity.