Return-to-work guide
Returning to work with an occupational overuse injury
Occupational overuse — sometimes called repetitive strain — usually builds gradually out of the tasks themselves, without a single incident to point to. That makes the worksite and the work itself central to the return-to-work plan. Nexus Rehab coordinates that side of the claim; your treating doctor directs the medical care and sets your capacity.
Why the worksite is the starting point
Because overuse is tied to how tasks are performed and how often, a return-to-work plan has to start with the tasks themselves, not only the person doing them. A workplace and ergonomic assessment looks at the duties involved — keyboard and screen setup, repetition, reach, force and the pace of the task — and identifies practical changes. The aim is a clear picture of what suitable duties look like once the same tasks that contributed to the injury are adjusted. Nexus Rehab carries out the assessment and recommends the adjustments; the treating doctor certifies the capacity those duties must fit.
Adjusting the task as well as the hours
For a gradual-onset injury, cutting hours alone rarely helps if the task stays the same. Suitable duties are built by changing the exposure — rotating tasks, reviewing the workstation, adjusting equipment, and staging how much of the aggravating work is done and when. These adjustments are written into the return-to-work plan, agreed with the employer, and checked once they are in place. Coordination continues until the return is safe and durable, with the plan adjusted as capacity changes under the doctor's direction.
Early coordination and how it is funded
With a gradual-onset injury, coordinating a plan early matters, because worksite adjustments are easier to make before duties and habits become entrenched. Early intervention means contact and assessment in the first weeks after a problem is reported, rather than later. Occupational overuse is generally a workers compensation matter under the NSW scheme, regulated by SIRA, with four parties around one plan: you, your employer, the insurer and your healthcare team. Every service is approved by the insurer before it is delivered, and approved rehabilitation services are funded under the scheme rather than paid by the worker.
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.