The Link Between Physical Therapy, Professional Sports, & Employee Wellness

Dr. Jason Han Sits Down With Employee Wellness Director Krisna Hanks and Employee Wellness Coordinator Jeremiah Sarkett

Musculoskeletal injuries remain one of the biggest drivers of workplace compensation costs and lost productivity. Despite this, most employee wellness programs focus on surface-level perks rather than addressing the root causes of workplace injuries and long-term health risks.

In the latest Ovadia Heart Health Employee Wellness Livestream, Dr. Jason Han, board-certified sports clinical specialist and CEO of HealthFit Physical Therapy & Chiropractic, joined Krisna Hanks, Director of Employee Wellness, and Jeremiah Sarkett, Employee Wellness Coordinator, to break down what actually works when it comes to preventing injuries and optimizing performance—whether in professional sports or the workplace.

Dr. Han’s experience spans elite athletic performance, including time as a rehab specialist for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cirque du Soleil, and Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC). But before his career as a top sports therapist, he was a world-class athlete himself, competing for seven years on the U.S. National Taekwondo Team, earning three World Silver Medals, and coming within striking distance of an Olympic team spot.

Yet even at the highest levels of competition, Dr. Han admits he got things wrong about nutrition, metabolic health, and injury prevention—lessons that now shape his work with professional athletes and business leaders alike.

Why Employee Wellness Programs Fail

“Employee health and wellness is huge,” Dr. Han noted, “but it’s often overlooked. Low back pain is in the top three highest causes of disability, along with cancer and heart disease. That affects every industry. It’s not just about sports—it’s about business.”

The real problem, he explained, is that most workplaces don’t proactively address movement, metabolic health, or injury prevention. Instead, they react when problems arise, dealing with treatments, time off, or compensation claims.

“Employees are the lifeline of every business,” Dr. Han said. “But when they get hurt or sick, labor efficiency drops. You’re investing in equipment, processes, and marketing, but how much are you investing in keeping your employees physically capable of doing their jobs?”

Lessons from Professional Athletes: What Employees Need to Know

Dr. Han’s work with elite athletes gave him a firsthand look at the right way to approach long-term health and injury prevention. But his own experience as an athlete taught him just how easy it is to get things wrong.

“I used to cut 15-20 pounds before competitions using extreme methods—dehydration, saunas, scraping my skin to sweat more,” he shared. “It was terrible for my performance. I’d feel weak, my brain wasn’t functioning at 100%, and I was actually setting myself up for injury.”

Looking back, he believes better metabolic health and recovery strategies could have changed the course of his career.

“I have three world silver medals, but that burns me from the inside. What if I had hydrated differently? What if I had fueled better, recovered better? Maybe I would have felt better—but more importantly, maybe I would have thought clearer, performed better.”

The same misconception affects professionals in everyday workplaces. "People think, 'I sit at a desk all day, so I don’t need to fuel my body like an athlete.' But that’s not true. If you want to prevent injuries, stay mentally sharp, and feel better every day, you have to think about movement, nutrition, and recovery like an athlete does."

The Small Fixes That Make a Big Difference

Dr. Han broke down a few simple but high-impact strategies that can make an immediate difference in workplace wellness:

• Move More, But Intelligently – “If you’re sedentary, don’t just suddenly go out and run five miles. That’s how people get hurt. Start small—add 500 steps, add 1,000 steps. Build up from there.”
• Proper Ergonomics & Movement Assessments – “Most injuries at work don’t come from a single event. It’s years of poor movement patterns. If your company isn’t offering movement assessments, they’re missing a huge opportunity to prevent long-term issues.”
• Metabolic Health Affects Injury Recovery – “I’ve seen people cut their calories when they’re injured because they’re not as active. But your body needs fuel to heal. If you’re in a deficit, it’s harder to recover. Chronic injuries heal faster when metabolic health is dialed in.”
• Leadership Matters – “If leaders don’t prioritize their health, employees won’t either. You have to lead by example.”

From Workplace Injuries to Workplace Performance

Dr. Han emphasized that most workplace injuries don’t happen from a single incident—they build up over time due to poor movement patterns and lack of awareness.

“We can absolutely decrease the risk of injuries,” he explained. “Can we eliminate them? Obviously not, things happen—but if we identify the weak points and address them early, we can prevent a lot of chronic issues before they happen.”

Many employees don’t realize their everyday movements—sitting at a desk, bending incorrectly, or repeating the same motions—are creating micro-traumas that compound over time. “People think the moment their back goes out is the cause of the injury, but it’s actually the years of poor movement leading up to that moment.”

This is exactly what Ovadia Heart Health’s Employee Wellness Program seeks to change. By combining metabolic health, movement coaching, and leadership engagement, the program helps businesses reduce workplace injuries, lower healthcare costs, and build stronger, more engaged teams.

A Call to Action for Business Leaders

If you’re a leader, HR professional, or employer looking to future-proof your workforce and create a culture of long-term health, now is the time to take action.

Your business depends on the health of your employees. The good news? With the right strategies, you can reduce injuries, boost productivity, and improve employee retention—all while enhancing overall company performance.

Want to see how a metabolic-health-focused wellness program can transform your workplace?

Learn more about the Ovadia Heart Health Employee Wellness Program today:

ovadiahearthealth.com/wellness