Manulife Financial Corp. is making Phzio Canada’s virtual physiotherapy platform available to its plan members, noted a press release.

Approximately one in five employees will experience a musculoskeletal condition annually that impacts their ability to perform in the workplace, resulting in an increased need for treatment programs, accommodations and time away from work, said the release.

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The benefits provider will make basic access to Phzio Canada’s MSK360 platform available to plan members, providing access to injury prevention content, early intervention, therapeutic programs and preferred rates for virtual providers that can be claimed using plan members’ benefits coverage.

Manulife is one of a handful of providers adding virtual physiotherapy to their offerings during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that’s limited many plan members from getting in-person care for a range of health issues, including musculoskeletal problems. According to its website, Medavie Blue Cross made the offering available to its plan members last year, and in November 2020, Telus Health announced it was making virtual physiotherapy available to its plan members through its Akira offering.

The release noted Manulife’s plan sponsors have the option to upgrade their plans to include access to the platform for their members. Those that choose to upgrade will gain unlimited virtual evaluations and treatments, ergonomics assessments and physical-conditioning plans, along with access to data analytics and metrics capabilities.

Read: Plan sponsors focusing on well-being, virtual health care in year two of pandemic: survey