As Labor Day arrives, we take a moment to think about the contributions of working people across the country, including those who build, serve, teach, protect, and care. This day, rooted in the labor movement, recognizes the dignity of hard work and the importance of rest and recovery. I view Labor Day as a celebration of labor and a reminder of the dedicated work of healing, which is a labor in its own right.
Wound care, at its core, involves restoring integrity to the skin, body, and often the spirit. Whether someone is recovering from surgery, dealing with a chronic wound, or healing from trauma, the process is active and demanding. Healing does not just happen, as it takes effort, discipline, patience, and perseverance, which are all hallmarks of work.
The Labor of Healing
Each wound tells a story of injury, illness, or years of underlying health challenges like diabetes, vascular disease, or immobility. Treating these wounds is more than applying dressings and debriding. It’s about being present. Patients must commit to regular visits, follow their wound care routines at home, manage their blood sugar, eat for recovery, and sometimes undergo significant lifestyle changes. That is hard work.
Additionally, there’s emotional labor involved. Living with a chronic wound can affect mental health, self-esteem, social life, and job stability. Some of my patients have been out of work for months due to wounds that won’t heal, creating a frustrating irony during a holiday celebrating workers. Others continue to work through pain and discomfort, often without proper accommodations. Their resilience is both commendable and heartbreaking.
On Labor Day, I honor the patients who work to heal. They wake up and tackle difficult tasks, attend another doctor’s appointment, elevate their leg again, change another dressing, or set up another imaging. Your effort matters and makes a difference.
The Team behind the Healing
Healing is also the work of a team. As a wound care doctor, I have the privilege of working alongside nurses, physical therapists, dietitians, primary care providers, surgeons, dermatologists, specialists, home health aides, and caregivers, all of whom play a vital role in this process. Each healed wound is the result of collective effort.
The nurses who perform wound care, the home health aides who assist with dressing changes, and the family members who motivate patients to stick with compression therapy are all essential parts of the healing workforce. Their contributions are often unseen but never insignificant.
Labor Day reminds us to celebrate these unsung heroes in healthcare. They work weekends and holidays. They do the physical work of caring and the emotional work of supporting patients through their health recovery.
Work, Wounds, and Prevention
This day is also a good time to consider how work can lead to the need for wound care. Occupational injuries from construction accidents to repetitive motion injuries, to burns remain a leading cause of acute wounds. Often, underserved or overworked groups may delay seeking care due to fears of lost wages, lack of access, or the belief that they must "push through it."
This Labor Day, I urge employers and workers to prioritize safety, injury prevention, and timely treatment. A small wound that is ignored can escalate into a serious health issue. Creating a culture where workers feel safe to seek care is not just compassionate, it is smart business.
Rest Is Also Labor
Finally, Labor Day is about rest. In wound care, rest is just as crucial as movement. Strategic rest allows the body to channel energy into tissue regeneration. Whether it's relieving pressure from a diabetic foot ulcer, elevating a venous leg wound, or simply getting enough sleep, resting is not laziness. It’s part of the healing process.
If you’re a patient in the midst of healing, let this weekend be a chance to recognize all you have accomplished. If you’re a caregiver or healthcare worker, thank you for showing up each day to undertake the often-hidden work of healing. And if you’ve never needed wound care, let this serve as a reminder of the deep links between health, labor, and dignity.
This Labor Day, let’s honor all forms of work, especially the quiet, determined, and courageous efforts involved in healing.
