Recovering from a work-related injury can be more complex than most people imagine. It’s not just about healing physically—it’s about restoring function, confidence, and hope.
That’s exactly why we offer the Structured Intensive Multidisciplinary Program (SIMP) here at Rehabilitation Institute of Washington.
SIMP was developed under Washington State law and policies established by Washington Labor & Industries. It’s designed specifically for injured workers who need a more comprehensive, team-based approach to their rehabilitation.
Initially, SIMP was referred to as a pain management program, and that label still sticks for many people. But over time, the scope of SIMP has expanded. Pain is often just one part of a much larger picture. When people deal with persistent pain after a work injury, they may also develop fear of movement, fear of activity, or anxiety about reinjury—all of which can interfere with recovery.
That’s where SIMP comes in.
Function Over Pain
Yes, pain matters. But the main goal of SIMP is not just to make pain go away. It’s to restore function, whether it’s physically, emotionally, socially, or vocationally.
With SIMP, we help patients:
- Regain physical strength and endurance
- Rebuild confidence in movement and activity
- Improve emotional well-being
- Re-engage with meaningful daily activities, including work
- Address psychosocial stressors that may be barriers to recovery
Many people come to us hyper-focused on avoiding pain. That’s certainly understandable. But avoiding pain often means avoiding activity, and that can create a cycle of deconditioning, isolation, and even more fear. In SIMP, we help people break that cycle.
Breaking Down the Name
It’s a mouthful, but each word in "Structured Intensive Multidisciplinary Program" is there for a reason. Specifically:
Our team includes:
- Physicians, physician assistants, and medical assistants
- Physical and occupational therapists
- Psychologists and mental health counselors
- Vocational counselors
- Neuropsychologists or speech therapists if there are any cognitive issues one is experiencing
Having a collaborative team means patients get a coordinated and personalized care plan, not piecemeal recommendations from disconnected providers.
While a lot goes into SIMP treatments, at its core, it focuses on three key areas:
- Physical Conditioning
Many people dealing with persistent pain have become deconditioned—they’ve lost strength, endurance, and flexibility. This makes movement feel harder, which reinforces the fear of movement. We work on gradually restoring physical ability in a safe and supportive way.
- Education
Education is one of the biggest differentiators of SIMP. We go far beyond what most clinics offer, providing education both in group and one-on-one interactions with providers. Patients learn about:
• How pain works in the nervous system
• Why pain sometimes persists after tissue healing
• How stress, sleep, and emotional health affect physical symptoms
• How movement patterns and avoidance can perpetuate pain
When people understand what’s happening in their bodies, they feel more empowered to return to a fulfilling life.
- Experiences of Success
We believe that confidence grows through experience. That’s why SIMP is structured to give patients repeated real-world successes—moments when they move, stretch, lift, or engage in activities they thought were off-limits. These experiences help retrain the nervous system to better recognize that many activities and movements can be safe to do, and change how the brain perceives sensations.
Put another way, you don’t have to be pain-free to move, you have to move to get pain-free.