Return to Work After Injury: How Allied Health Supports Recovery

In short: Recovering from a workplace or transport injury usually involves more than rest — physiotherapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiology and psychology each address a different part of getting back to work. Reliance Care and Support offers these at 341C Forsyth Road, Truganina, and has partnered with AusRehab for return-to-work coordination.

What does returning to work after an injury usually involve?

It is rarely a single moment where you stop being injured and start being fine. For most people it is a staged process: recovering enough function to manage some duties, then building back toward your normal role.

Three things generally need to line up.

Your treating doctor's assessment of what you can safely do, recorded on a Certificate of Capacity if you have a WorkCover or transport accident claim
Therapy that rebuilds the specific capacity your job needs — strength, movement, stamina, confidence
Duties at work that fit within what you can currently manage, and that increase as you improve

Staying connected to work in some form, even on reduced hours or modified duties, is generally better for recovery than a long stretch away from it. That is not about rushing anyone. It is about matching the work to the capacity you have now, and reviewing it as that changes.

Which allied health services support injury recovery?

Different disciplines do genuinely different jobs here, which is why more than one is often involved.

Physiotherapy** — assessment and treatment of the injury itself: joint and spinal pain, soft tissue injuries, post-surgical rehabilitation. You leave with a written exercise program rather than an open-ended booking pattern.
Exercise Physiology** — structured, progressive exercise to rebuild physical capacity and work tolerance. Useful when the injury has settled but stamina, strength or confidence in movement has not returned.
Occupational Therapy** — the practical side of function: daily living tasks, equipment, and how you actually perform the activities your role requires.
Psychology** — support where an injury has affected mood, sleep or confidence, or where the injury itself was distressing. This is common after transport accidents in particular and is a normal part of recovery, not a separate problem.

Which combination suits you depends on the injury, your job, and how far along you are. Your GP or treating doctor can advise on referrals.

How is injury recovery funded compared to the NDIS?

This is worth being clear about, because the two are often confused.

The NDIS funds supports related to a permanent and significant disability. A work or transport injury that you are expected to recover from is generally not an NDIS matter — it is handled by the relevant injury scheme.

Work-related injuries in Victoria are generally covered through WorkCover, administered by WorkSafe Victoria via insurance agents
Transport accident injuries in Victoria are generally covered by the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), which is a no-fault scheme
Some allied health can also be accessed through Medicare with a GP referral, through private health insurance, or privately

If an injury does result in permanent and significant disability, NDIS eligibility becomes a separate question — you can read about that on our eligibility page or speak to a support coordinator or NDIS planner.

Because funding rules differ by scheme and change over time, confirm what applies to you with the relevant scheme or with our team before booking.

Working with AusRehab

Reliance Care and Support has partnered with **AusRehab**, a recovery management provider that works with people returning to work after a workplace or motor vehicle injury.

Where our therapists treat the injury and rebuild capacity, AusRehab coordinates the return-to-work side of it:

Workplace rehabilitation — return-to-work planning and liaison with employers
Functional capacity evaluation — structured assessment of physical tolerances and work capacity, used to guide suitable duties
Motor vehicle injury support — case management for people recovering after a transport accident
Pre-employment screening — assessment of fitness for the physical requirements of a role, arranged through employers

Having both parts working toward the same goal helps, because a return-to-work plan built without knowing what therapy is actually achieving tends not to hold. Your doctor remains responsible for your medical care throughout.

If you are recovering from an injury and think return-to-work support would help, speak to your therapist or your GP about whether a referral is appropriate.

How can you get started?

Talk to your GP or treating doctor — for a claim-related injury they coordinate your care and can advise on referrals
Check what your scheme covers — WorkCover, TAC, Medicare and private health each work differently
Contact us — call (03) 9958 6699 or use our contact page to ask which discipline fits your situation
Ask about language support — our team speaks a range of languages, and interpreting can be arranged; see multilingual support

Our rooms are at 341C Forsyth Road, Truganina, alongside the general practice, so a GP appointment and a therapy appointment can be at the same address. We see people from across Melbourne's west — see areas we serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a referral to see a physiotherapist after an injury?

Not always for a private appointment, but for a WorkCover or TAC claim you generally do need your treating doctor involved so treatment is approved and billed to the scheme. If a claim is in play, start with your GP rather than booking directly.

What is the difference between physiotherapy and exercise physiology?

Physiotherapy focuses on assessing and treating the injury — pain, movement, and hands-on management. Exercise physiology focuses on structured, progressive exercise to rebuild capacity and work tolerance once the injury has settled. Many people see both at different stages of recovery.

Can I have therapy while I am still off work?

Yes, and it is common. Therapy during time off is often what makes a return to work possible, because it rebuilds the specific capacity your role needs. Your therapist can also provide information about your functional progress to support your return-to-work planning.

Does the NDIS pay for rehabilitation after a work injury?

Generally no. A work or transport injury you are expected to recover from is handled by the relevant injury scheme, such as WorkCover or the TAC, rather than the NDIS. The NDIS relates to permanent and significant disability, which is a separate assessment.

What is a functional capacity evaluation?

It is a structured assessment of physical tolerances and work capacity — what you can lift, carry, reach and sustain — measured in a standardised way. The results guide rehabilitation and give employers objective information about which duties are suitable.

How long does it take to get back to work after an injury?

It varies a great deal depending on the injury, the treatment involved and the physical demands of the role, so nobody can give a reliable general figure. Your treating doctor and therapist will review your progress regularly and adjust the plan as your capacity changes.

Trusted sources

This article is for general information only and is not medical, financial or legal advice. Scheme rules and funding arrangements change — confirm what applies to you with WorkSafe Victoria, the TAC, or your support coordinator or planner for NDIS matters. If you have health concerns, please speak with your GP.

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