While the general working world may be aware of the potential problems that our aging workforce can present, the workers’ comp industry is really in tune to the issue because they’re the ones that see the injuries and claims from older workers. Don’t shoot the messenger but older workers tend to be slower with certain tasks and have reduced reaction time, have greater loss of vision, be more forgetful and they tend to be out of work twice as long as younger twenty-something workers after an injury. These factors can be dangerous and put an older worker at risk of injury even though they might feel fine. After an injury they can also have a tougher time rebounding than younger workers, and a catastrophic injury can lead to other problems and complications.

There is a significant factor in the injury risk to this population that workers might be able to combat- and that is strength. As we age we lose muscle mass and strength but that can increase our risk for injuries at work, especially since we tend to gain fat as we age too which doesn’t help. Losing muscle mass may decrease our functionality and make us more prone to falls.

Dr. Thomas Gilliam, the president of Industrial Physical Capability Services, says that he thinks strength is a good measure of health and productivity in workers. He talked about a hospital study that applied strength capability tools which predicted future health care costs, and as a result saved almost $1.5 million in workers’ comp costs. I’m not saying everyone should strive to be Arnold Schwarzenegger but being a little stronger may help workers not only feel better at work but might go a long way in keeping them safe.

To reduce the injury risk to older workers and help them get back to work faster, encourage physical activity and strength training as a method to increase strength and even reverse muscle loss. You can tailor activities to fit each worker and improve not only strength but balance, recovery time and functionality. Train older workers in a new skill in a way that fits their needs, they might do it differently than younger workers. Employers need to provide a safe workplace for everyone, and they might need to take the age of workers into account when they’re thinking about a safe workplace.

Another thing to look at for workers who are already injured is physical therapy to manage their progress and their condition. For older workers especially, recovery may be a longer process and may require specialized care like physical therapy. They can do exercises that will not only help them get better from their current injury but will help them increase strength and balance overall to prevent injuries in the future.

Workers’ compensation claims professionals must make sure they understand the challenges that the aging workforce presents and try to figure out the best way to treat them. Though they may have the same kind of injury as a spry young worker, the way it is treated could be different because of their age.