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Frequently Asked Questions
If you have questions about OWCP and Physical Therapy, Better Life Physical Therapy & Wellness | Federal Injury Center have answers for you! And you still have more questions, feel free to reach out to us!
OWCP
An OWCP narrative is a written explanation of what happened at work, how it affected your health, and why it matters. It helps connect your symptoms to your job so your claim can be approved.
You qualify if you’re a federal employee, have a diagnosed condition or injury, and can show it was caused or worsened by your job.
Yes, OWCP can cover mental health conditions if they are caused or made worse by your federal job. You’ll need a doctor’s diagnosis and proof it’s work-related.
OWCP only covers federal employees. If you’re not federal, you may need to go through your state workers’ comp or other benefits.
You’ll need to file either Form CA-1 (for a traumatic injury) or Form CA-2 (for an occupational disease) to begin a claim.
Yes! If your injury is accepted, OWCP can pay for lost wages using Form CA-7. But you’ll need medical evidence showing you can’t work.
It depends. OWCP needs your claim, medical proof, and all required forms. Once everything is in, payment usually follows but any missing paperwork or delays can slow it. (No exact time guarantee found.)
Yes, generally you can use your own qualified medical provider, as long as they are consistent with OWCP’s requirements and provide evidence supporting your claim.
You’ll need a medical report that includes: diagnosis, how the injury affects work ability, treatment plan, and any restrictions. Forms like CA-20 (Attending Physician) and CA-17 (Duty Status Report) are often used.
Yes. If your doctor gives you work restrictions, you may be offered limited or light duty tasks that match those restrictions.
Then there may be a dispute. OWCP may need further medical evaluation or review to decide whether the restrictions are valid or whether alternate duties must be offered.
Not usually. If your injury causes inability to work and is accepted, you shouldn’t have to use sick or annual leave for that time, especially during the “Continuation of Pay” period for traumatic injuries.
Yes. If your injury limits what you can do, light or modified duty may be offered based on your medical restrictions.
Because they need complete, up-to-date medical evidence, clear incident or injury reports, and properly filled forms to make decisions. If anything is missing or unclear, OWCP will request additional documents.
No, not always. You can file and manage your claim on your own. But a lawyer or representative may help in complex cases, appeals, or when disputes happen.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy treats sprains, strains, joint pain, back and neck pain, sports injuries, work injuries, and post-surgery recovery.
Physical therapy treats the root cause of RSIs by addressing muscle imbalances, posture issues, and ergonomic strain. Instead of just masking pain, therapy restores strength and function while helping prevent future injury.
Right after an injury, or even before, to prevent problems, improve performance, and speed recovery.
Look for physical therapists with sports or orthopedic certifications, experience with the injuries you have, and performance training tools. You should also know what kind of questions to ask your physical therapist that can help you decide whether they are the right fit for you. The right therapist will listen, guide, and match care to your sport and goals.
Early PT speeds up recovery, prevents pain from worsening, and reduces the need for medication or surgery.
Easy activities like walking, chair exercises, stretching, balance practice, water aerobics, and cycling can keep you strong and mobile. Even small efforts add up. See the list of simple exercises you can try at home.
Yes! Many therapists offer in-home sessions for comfort and convenience. Whether at a clinic or at home, your plan is tailored to help you feel stronger and more confident.
They reduce pain, restore movement, build strength, prevent injuries, and support long-term health.
Physical therapy offers pain relief without cutting into the body, has fewer risks, helps you recover faster, and often gives long-term results equal to surgery for many conditions.
It targets the root cause with exercises, hands-on care, and posture training—reducing pain naturally.
Yes, physical therapy can help a lot with sports injuries. When you get hurt, it can feel scary and stop you from doing what you love. Physical therapy gives you a safe plan to heal, get stronger, and move again without fear.
A therapist helps with all kinds of sports injuries—sprains, strains, muscle pain, joint problems, and overuse injuries. They use gentle exercises, stretching, hands-on care, and tools like heat or ice to calm pain and help your body recover the right way.
Physical therapy also keeps injuries from coming back. Your therapist finds weak areas, improves the way you move, and teaches you how to protect your body so you feel more confident.
If your pain lasts more than a few days or makes it hard to move, it’s a good time to see a physical therapist. With the right help, you can heal safely and get back to the activities you enjoy. You don’t have to do it alone—support is here for you.
Back Pain
Yes, a UTI can cause back pain, especially if the infection starts moving upward.
A regular UTI usually affects your bladder, causing burning or frequent urination. But if the infection travels up to your kidneys, it can cause back pain, usually in your lower back or side, around where your kidneys sit.
You might also feel the following:
Fever or chills
Nausea
Feeling really tired
Pain that feels deeper than normal muscle pain
If you have back pain
Yes, a UTI can cause back pain — especially if the infection starts moving upward.
Here’s the simple way to understand it:
A regular UTI usually affects your bladder, causing burning or frequent urination.
But if the infection travels up to your kidneys, it can cause back pain, usually in your lower back or side, around where your kidneys sit.
You might also feel:
Fever or chills
Nausea
Feeling really tired
Pain that feels deeper than normal muscle pain
If you have back pain plus UTI symptoms, it’s important to get checked soon. Kidney infections can get serious but are very treatable when caught early.
Yes, a UTI can cause back pain — especially if the infection starts moving upward.
Here’s the simple way to understand it:
A regular UTI usually affects your bladder, causing burning or frequent urination.
But if the infection travels up to your kidneys, it can cause back pain, usually in your lower back or side, around where your kidneys sit.
You might also feel:
Fever or chills
Nausea
Feeling really tired
Pain that feels deeper than normal muscle pain
If you have back pain plus UTI symptoms, it’s important to get checked soon. Kidney infections can get serious but are very treatable when caught early.
Yes, stress can cause back pain and it’s more common than most people think.
When you’re stressed, your body tightens up without you even noticing. Your neck, shoulders, and lower back are usually the first places to “hold” that tension. Over time, those tight muscles can start to ache, burn, or feel stiff.
Eventually, your muscles will stay tight for long periods, your posture changes when you’re anxious or overwhelmed, you may breathe shallowly, which increases tension in your upper body, and all your nerves become more sensitive when you’re under pressure
All of that can make your back hurt even if nothing physical happened.
If your back pain started during a time when you were really worried, overworked, or not sleeping well, stress may be playing a big role. The good news? Once stress goes down and your muscles relax, the pain often improves too.
Sciatica
There are many reasons why your sciatica is not going away:
- The root cause (like a herniated disc or spinal stenosis) might still be pressing or irritating the sciatic nerve.
- Poor posture, bad lifting habits, or staying seated too long can keep triggering or worsening the irritation.
- Inflammation may persist, making pain and nerve sensitivity stay high.
- Weak core or hip/glute muscles can’t support the spine enough, so the nerve keeps getting stressed.
- Scar tissue, tight muscles, or nerve “tension” (when the nerve isn’t gliding freely) can lock in symptoms.
- Sometimes lifestyle factors: obesity, smoking, lack of activity, or repeating the same movements that caused the issue.
- If self-care or treatments were delayed, or the wrong treatment approach was used, healing might be slowed.
Yes, a UTI can cause back pain, especially if the infection starts moving upward.
A regular UTI usually affects your bladder, causing burning or frequent urination. But if the infection travels up to your kidneys, it can cause back pain, usually in your lower back or side, around where your kidneys sit.
You might also feel the following:
Fever or chills
Nausea
Feeling really tired
Pain that feels deeper than normal muscle pain
If you have back pain
Yes, a UTI can cause back pain — especially if the infection starts moving upward.
Here’s the simple way to understand it:
A regular UTI usually affects your bladder, causing burning or frequent urination.
But if the infection travels up to your kidneys, it can cause back pain, usually in your lower back or side, around where your kidneys sit.
You might also feel:
Fever or chills
Nausea
Feeling really tired
Pain that feels deeper than normal muscle pain
If you have back pain plus UTI symptoms, it’s important to get checked soon. Kidney infections can get serious but are very treatable when caught early.
Yes, a UTI can cause back pain — especially if the infection starts moving upward.
Here’s the simple way to understand it:
A regular UTI usually affects your bladder, causing burning or frequent urination.
But if the infection travels up to your kidneys, it can cause back pain, usually in your lower back or side, around where your kidneys sit.
You might also feel:
Fever or chills
Nausea
Feeling really tired
Pain that feels deeper than normal muscle pain
If you have back pain plus UTI symptoms, it’s important to get checked soon. Kidney infections can get serious but are very treatable when caught early.
Most of the time, sciatica complications are not life-threatening but you should be taken seriously. It can cause a lot of pain and make daily life hard, but it usually isn’t dangerous.
The only time sciatica becomes an emergency is when it leads to cauda equina syndrome, which is very rare. Signs include sudden leg weakness, numbness in the groin area, or losing control of your bladder or bowels. This needs immediate medical care.
For most people, the bigger risk is long-term problems like chronic pain, numbness, or weakness. These can affect how you walk, work, and enjoy your day — but they can be treated.
With the right care, most people heal and get their life back. You don’t have to stay in pain.
Injuries
Even small injuries can sideline athletes, costing them games, momentum, or even scholarships. Prevention saves health, confidence, and long-term performance.
Lasting relief comes from learning better movement habits, posture, and strength exercises. Taking regular breaks, adjusting your workstation, and doing simple stretches can help you stay pain-free.
Yes. Physical therapy can reduce pain, improve movement, and strengthen weak areas even years after an injury.
Treatment
Think about your goal like athletic performance and recovery, or long-term pain relief and posture correction. Your physical therapist can guide you to the best option for your body.
Myofascial release is usually safe when a licensed physical therapist does it. Most people only feel mild soreness afterward, which is normal and should fade in a day or two.
The real problems happen when the technique is done too hard or by someone untrained. That can lead to:
Bad soreness that doesn’t go away
Bruising
Nerve irritation (tingling or numbness)
Making old injuries worse
Higher bruising risk if you take certain medications
To stay safe, always work with a trained physical therapist and tell them about your pain, injuries, and medications. When done correctly, myofascial release can help you move better and feel better without putting you at risk.
Payment
Yes, we do! In fact, most of our patients pay in cash to get treated right away.
We only accept Medicare as insurance for non-federal employees and OWCP for federal employees. However, you can still submit your insurance to us so we can issue a superbill to have your treatment reimbursed by your insurance provider.
No, most Medicare plans does not cover Massage Therapy Treatment. However, some Medicare Advantage (Part C) may include Massage Therapy coverage depending on your health condition.
No, just like Massage Therapy, Therapeutic Massage is considered as an alternative treatment and Medicare does not cover it.
Still Have Questions?
