Chiropractic for FIFO Workers: Staying Strong Through the Roster
Two weeks on, one week off. Twelve hour shifts. Long drives, long flights, and a bunk that is not your bed. FIFO work asks a lot of a body, and it asks it in a pattern that makes recovery hard.
We see a lot of FIFO workers at North Fremantle Chiropractic. The pattern is usually the same. Something niggles on swing, there is no time to deal with it, and by R and R it has either settled enough to ignore or flared enough that the next roster is a problem.
This is what we see, why it happens, and what you can do about it.
What the roster does to your body
Most FIFO injuries are not one bad lift. They are load without recovery.
On a normal week, tissue gets stressed and then gets time to adapt. On a swing, the stress repeats before the adaptation happens. Add broken sleep, dehydration, long periods sitting in transport, and heavy work in awkward positions, and the margin gets thin.
Three things stack up:
Repetition without variation. The same movement, the same side, shift after shift.
Vibration and sitting. Haul trucks, light vehicles, flights. All of it loads the lower back in a way that standing does not.
Sleep debt. Sleep is when tissue repairs. Broken sleep is not a lifestyle problem here, it is a recovery problem.
The injuries we see most
Lower back. The most common by a distance. Usually a combination of lifting, sitting and vibration rather than a single event.
Necks and shoulders. Overhead work, carrying gear on one side, and hours looking down at a screen or a task in front of you.
Hips and knees. Ladders, stairs, climbing in and out of machinery, and doing it in boots on uneven ground.
Wrists, elbows and forearms. Tools, torque and grip, repeated thousands of times a swing.
None of these are complicated on their own. They get complicated when they are carried through three more rosters.
Why R and R is not recovery
The week off is not as restorative as it looks. Most people spend it catching up on everything that did not happen while they were away, then fly out again.
That matters because the window where you can actually change something is the week you are home. It is the only time you can be assessed, get hands on treatment, and start loading properly.
So the goal is not to squeeze in as many appointments as possible. It is to use the window well and give you something you can keep doing on site.
What an assessment actually involves
A first visit is a history and a physical examination, including neurological, orthopaedic and musculoskeletal testing. We want to know what your roster is, what your job involves physically, and what has already been tried.
You leave knowing what is going on, in plain language, and what the plan looks like. We give you a clear estimate of how many visits to expect. No open-ended plans, which matters more than usual when you are only in town one week in three.
Treatment is hands on, and it comes with rehab. All three of our chiropractors train and compete themselves, and Dr Nathan Bridger has over a decade in both chiropractic and strength and conditioning. That shapes how we assess. We look at how you load, not just where it hurts.
What you can do on site
Whatever we give you has to survive a donga and a ten minute window, or it will not get done.
Move before you load. Five minutes at the start of a shift beats twenty at the end of a swing.
Break up the sitting. If you are in a vehicle for long stretches, get out of the seat whenever the job allows.
Carry loads on both sides. Most people have a favourite shoulder and it shows up eventually.
Take the sleep seriously. Dark, cool, consistent. It is the cheapest recovery tool you have.
Deal with niggles at week one, not week three. A small thing addressed early is a very different conversation.
When to get it looked at
Book an assessment if pain is not settling across a swing, if it is waking you at night, or if it is changing how you do your job.
Get it seen sooner if there is numbness, pins and needles, weakness, or pain travelling down an arm or a leg. Those are worth assessing rather than pushing through.
Some things are not ours to manage. If you are struggling with sleep, mood or fatigue beyond what a hard roster explains, speak to your GP. It is a normal thing to raise and they are the right starting point.
Back on R and R?
The week you are home is the week something can actually change. Book an assessment and we will work out what is going on and what to do about it.
Book online or call 0414 316 261. Unit 1, 210 Queen Victoria Street, North Fremantle.
Frequently asked questions
I am only home one week in three. Is that enough to make progress?
Yes, but it changes the plan. We front-load the assessment and hands-on work into the week you are here, and the rest is what you do on site. We tell you at the first visit what is realistic on your roster.
Do I need a referral?
No. Book online any time, or call 0414 316 261.
What happens at my first appointment?
A thorough history and physical examination, including neurological, orthopaedic and musculoskeletal testing. You leave knowing what is going on and what your plan looks like.
Is chiropractic covered by private health insurance?
Yes, most extras policies cover chiropractic. We do not have HICAPS in the clinic, so you pay on the day and claim back directly through your insurer, which most funds make quick and easy via their app. Check with your fund for your specific entitlements.
Can I be seen if my injury happened at work?
Yes. Bring any paperwork you have. If your claim needs input from another practitioner or imaging, we will tell you.
Where are you and what are your hours?
Unit 1, 210 Queen Victoria Street, North Fremantle. Open six days, with early mornings and evenings so you can get in around travel days.
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About the author
Dr Nathan Bridger is a chiropractor and strength and conditioning coach, and the owner of North Fremantle Chiropractic. He has over a decade of experience across both fields, has practised internationally, and has worked as a clinical supervisor in chiropractic education. He is registered with the Chiropractic Board of Australia through Ahpra and practises in North Fremantle, Western Australia.
