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Research short: Spinal manipulative therapy for chronic low back pain
Researchers have found spinal manipulative therapy yields small improvements in chronic low back pain, but have questioned the cost-effectiveness of such practice.
Research short: Bad for the body, bad for the workplace
A major study from the Netherlands shows productivity can be improved by helping workers improve their lifestyles.
Research short: How long will chronic low back pain last?
A Netherlands study has produced a simple, efficient means for assessing the probable duration of low back pain.
Research short: Can yoga ease workplace stress?
A UK study has concluded that regular yoga can improve workplace wellbeing and reduce employee stress.
Research short: Exercise and the treatment of chronic pain
Researchers have developed an effective treatment for the vexing condition of Fibromyalgia through a detailed and prolonged exercise regimen.
Abnormal tactile sensations in chronic pain
Canadian Researchers have highlighted the lack of knowledge about the causes of abnormal and reduced sensations in the limbs of patients.
Research short: Managing arm pain in computer users
Ergonomic keyboards can help reduce the effects of recurrent arm pain in office workers.
Less involvement from senior management leads to overbearing confidence
A study has shown that the less senior managers are involved, generally, the more likely they are to over-rate their workplaces, safety and health when compared to industry standards.
Research Short: Do managers suffer from more stress?
A Danish study debunks the myth that managers are often more stressed than employees.
Research short: A happy work is a healthy work
Positive workplace environments are necessary for workplace health programs to be successful.
Research Short: Professional drivers and chronic back pain
A Finnish study raises questions about previous associations between professional car driving and chronic lower back pain.
Research short: Is there a better physical therapy treatment for chronic lower back pain?
A new study suggests therapeutic climbing may trump a standard exercise regime in treating lower back complaints.
Research short: Work is good for you, but...
The UK's treating practitioners say that work is beneficial, but how do they actually behave when making recommendations about back problems?
Research short: Is integrated care value for $?
A European study of an integrated care program for workers with long term back problems shows a return of $26 for every $1 invested.
Research short: Mixed opinions
When dealing with complex or ambiguous medical problems, only half of treating practitioners come to the same conclusions about RTW. Why is that, and what can you do about it?
Research short: Armed against arm pain
Reducing repetitive work is not the only option to consider when attempting to accommodate arm pain in the workplace. Smoking and perceived stress also influence outcomes.
Chronic Fatigue: NOT a dead end - the evidence
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), graded exercise therapy (GET) and good planning get chronic fatigue sufferers back to work.
Are lumbar supports value for money?
This study looks at the cost-effectiveness AND health effectiveness of lumbar supports for home care workers with recurrent low back pain.
Treating back pain with corticosteroids
Are steroid injections an effective way to treat acute back pain?
Evidence-based psychotherapies for depression
Psychotherapies are an important but underutilized part of depression treatment
Whiplash and physical fitness
Do fit people recover from whiplash more quickly?
I'll need a sick leave certificate too, doc...
What prevents doctors from applying best clinical practice when issuing certificates for sick leave?
Meeting the needs of injured workers
Peer support helps put the pieces back together after workplace injury
Back pain World Cup
How do different countries' disability benefits and policies for occupational low back pain affect return to work rates?
Back pain and pessimism: A vicious cycle
Pessimistic beliefs about back pain can prolong suffering and prevent proper treatment
Mismanaging depression
What are the barriers to effective management of depression in the workplace?
Depression and antidepressants
Clinical principles for the use of antidepressants, and the effectiveness of other treatments in preventing relapse
Taking control of arthritis
Psychosocial approaches to managing arthritis help sufferers make the most of medical care.
Challenges and opportunities for preventing depression
This article explores some of the ways to manage and prevent major depression in the workplace.
Can CBT trump chronic pain?
Chronic pain is a notoriously obstinate barrier to RTW. Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy the card we need to play?
What's the source of that pain in the neck?
Neck pain is a common condition in workers, and psychosocial factors influence outcomes.
Empowering employers to fight depression
A short guide to depression busting in the workplace
Optimizing occupational health
Decisions made in occupational health care that follow the 5-step protocol of evidence based medicine have good outcomes for workers and employers.
School of pain
How effective is individual patient education for people with low back pain?
Fear, expectation and back pain - the evidence
Knowing what psychosocial factors affect recovery from low back pain can help target employee interventions
Shoulder pain out of the way
Rotator cuff treatments that work...and a couple that don't!
Low back pain: Which treatments work?
Less invasive treatments should be first port of call for low back pain.
Critical illness, brain impairment and RTW
Are neurocognitive impairments being identified early enough, or at all, after critical illness?
Working for wellness
On the job rehabilitation can improve outcomes for people with psychiatric disabilities.
GP briefing: Depression
An evidence-based guide for managing depression-related occupational disability
Approaches to managing chronic pain in the workplace - the evidence
How do we diagnose and treat chronic pain?
Tracking the trajectory of workplace stress
New research suggests that stress claims are not as big a mystery as employers tend to think...
Which workers are more likely to experience depression?
And the causes.
Lifting expectations brings results
Advice for health professionals about the best attitudes for patients to adopt on the road to recovery.
Supermarket workers shelve musculoskeletal disorders
Lower back pain poses problems for supermarket workers, but chances are they won't tell
Recognizing depression in the workplace
We all know depression is a problem, but do we recognize depression when we see it?
Is your arthritis a pain in the back?
This study investigates the link between osteoarthritis in the facet joints of the spine and the presence of low back pain.
Should you put your neck out for exercise?
How effective are exercises in treating mechanical neck problems?
Back pain and work: Psychosocial factors
A range of studies explore whether psychosocial factors contribute to the development of back pain
Pain beliefs can hold you back
What do people with different kinds of back pain believe about pain, and how do these beliefs impact recovery?
Overcoming PTSD
What psychological treatments work for post traumatic stress disorder?
Tackling stress online - the evidence
A web-based approach to managing stress and mood disorders
Does talking cure depression?
Psychotherapies are an important, but an underutilized part of depression treatment
Diagnosing back pain
A step-by-step guide for best practice diagnosis of back pain
Back problems: beliefs and recovery - the evidence
A persons beliefs about back problems influence how they engage with treatment, so providing the right information is vital.
Despair and low back pain: Connecting as a starting point-The evidence
People with chronic low back pain can lose their sense of control over life, a major demotivating factor
Back pain and pessimism: A vicious cycle-The evidence
Pessimistic beliefs about back pain can prolong suffering and prevent proper treatment
Low back pain: Which treatments work? - The evidence.
Less invasive treatments should be first port of call for low back pain.
Back pain and work: Physical factors - Physical work. The evidence.
What does the research tell us about physical work and the impact on back pain?
Back pain and work: Psychosocial factors. The evidence.
A range of studies explore whether psychosocial factors contribute to the development of back pain
Blame is not a game
Researchers have developed a questionnaire to help identify when perceptions of injustice may be jeopardizing RTW.
Doctors and back pain: Who you see influences the treatment you get
While some doctors follow best practice guidelines for lower back pain, many get it wrong...
Overtreatment HURTS
The US demonstrates how over-treating back pain causes more pain.
Mental illness and RTW: bridging the gap
Collaboration between mental health and employment agencies assists return to work, but how do we foster collaboration?
Workplace intervention VS clinical intervention
In this battle of the lower back pain heavyweights, who comes out on top and why?
Treating knee pain in older adults
Practitioners under-prescribe key effective treatments: Education, exercise and weight loss
Ways to whip whiplash
An overview of whiplash injury
Distress, ergonomic exposure, smoking and recurrent back bother
A look at the workplace factors associated with repeat visits to back pain clinics
Back pain? Stick a needle in it!
Researchers examine the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating chronic low back pain.
Treating back pain: when surgery does not make the cut
A review of the effectiveness of non-surgical treatments for chronic low back pain.
Supermarket workers shelve musculoskeletal disorders
Lower back pain poses problems for supermarket workers, but chances are they won't tell
Does safety education save backs?
Can workplace back safety education programs reduce the risk of back injuries and complications?
Whiplash and fitness
Post-whiplash, fit people recover quickly and return to work promptly
Back pain and work: Personal factors
A range of studies assess personal factors and how they influence work-related back pain
Multidisciplinary rehab program shows benefits beyond the short term
A 2 year study shows the continuing benefits of comprehensive rehab
Overcoming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Psychological treatments that work!
Its all in the head: supporting families dealing with traumatic brain injury
Identifying the needs of families caring for someone with a traumatic brain injury.
Non-surgical treatment options for chronic back pain
Exercise, behavioral and multimodal programs: What works for RTW and why?
The surprising incidence of pain in young adults
Short and long term pain is common in the 18-25 year old age group
Screening for distress
Studies suggest that it is possible to identify workers at risk of developing psychological distress and intervene before productivity suffers!
Success with shoulders?
Rotator cuff treatments that work...and a couple that don't!
Employer flexibility helps cancer survivors return to work
Returning to work after cancer treatment is difficult, but employers can make a difference
Opioid use: less often for back pain?
Treatment with opioids delays return to work and prolongs symptoms
Get off your backside to improve your back!
Home exercise is a cheap and effective way to improve back pain
What is occupational contact dermatitis?
Know the facts about this common skin condition
The lowdown on leg pain or sciatica
There is debate over how to classify sciatica and how common it is.
Manners Matter: doctors' behavior influences return to work and recovery of injured workers
A study looking at factors influencing the return to work and recovery of injured workers in California
School of (back) pain!
Brief, face-to-face education works best for chronic LBP rehabilitation
Real bad back pain? On-the-spot P.T. provides short term gain
Physical therapy for acute back pain is good in the short term, but education and movement bring long term benefits.
The business of depression
There is a good business case for educating your workforce about depression
Depression, anxiety and fatigue care can improve productivity
Depression is the most significant contributor to reduced productivity
Depression: Optimizing care for the employee and the workplace
Depression exacerbates and prolongs pain. What does this mean for the workplace?
Why work gets us down...
Understanding the causes of depression in the workplace
Self management strategies: Coaching the coaches
Many self care coaches have no formal training. Does coaching the coaches improve performance?
Coaching the chronically ill
Education, behavioral change and support: Effective coaching methods to assist patients
Epidemiology for Beginners
Introducing the basics and explaining the terminology
Bearing the brunt of obesity
How obesity impacts the workplace
Fear, distress and heavy lifting: predictors of ongoing back pain
Psychological distress, heavy lifting and fear of activity are better predictors of back pain than MRI scans.
Treatment recommendations: making them stick
How to help patients adhere to treatment recommendations
The costs of mental health problems ARE negotiable
Lowering the costs of mental health problems for governments, employers, families and sufferers
Upper extremity trauma: What happens after employees return to work?
Understanding work and cost outcomes of overuse arm problems.
Managing depression-related occupational disability: For doctors
A guide for managing depression-related occupational disability
Tackling stress on-line
A web-based approach to managing stress and mood disorders
Predictors of poor outcome in patients with musculoskeletal pain
Generic prognostic factors may assist primary care practitioners to identify those patients with musculoskeletal pain who are at risk of poor outcomes, regardless of the site of their pain.
Seeking compensation for major trauma after accidental injury - more stress than its worth??
A clinical study has identified that the development and persistence of post-traumatic stress disorder following major trauma is not related to injury severity, but may be associated with factors such as blaming others for the accident and processes invol
Tick, tick, tick: The timing of intervention.
Intervention by nurse case managers during the first week, after onset of back pain, improves employees satisfaction with their employer and health care provider and reduces sick leave absences.
I'll need a sick leave note too, doc...
Swedish general practitioners were interviewed to identify the barriers that prevented them from applying best clinical practice when issuing certificates for sick leave absences from work.
Early intervention: Risky business?
Early intervention programs for lower back pain aim to keep workers in the workplace. How can you ensure that yours is a success?
A pain in the neck?
A Canadian study explores the relationship between neck pain and lost time claims.
An all 'round approach to Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia can be managed through a combination of physical and psychological rehabilitation.
More than just pain
There is more to chronic widespread pain, than pain itself.
Getting control of arthritis
Psychosocial approaches to managing arthritis help sufferers make the most of medical care.
Success with systems at work for shoulders
Shoulder problems are common. Having a standard system in place with the employee and supervisor as first line managers of the issue can streamline return to work.
Locus of control and vocational rehabilitation
A sense of control over the situation improves return to work outcomes.
The great unknown: risk factors for co-existing chronic pain syndromes
The current understanding of the occurrence of multiple regional chronic pain syndromes is discussed and concludes more research is needed.
While looking after others, do not forget to look after yourself!
A self-evaluation tool is described which may assist healthcare professionals to develop self-resilience and equip them to identify, prioritize and achieve personal and professional goals.
How do workers with neck pain fare, and what influences their progress
Neck pain commonly follows a persistent or recurrent course. Between 60% to 80% of workers who report a sore neck at some point report they have a sore neck a year later. Workers who exercise do better, and white collar workers return to work sooner.
The world's best look at neck pain
The Task Force on Neck Pain was a major undertaking, seeking to review and summarize information on neck pain problems, treatments, and what can be done to improve neck pain outcomes.
How common is neck pain in workers and what contributes to neck problems
Neck pain is a common condition in workers and psychosocial factors influence outcomes.
When to take extended sick leave. A complex decision for workers with spine-related pain
This study identified a range of factors that influence when workers with neck and low-back (spine-related) pain take extended sick leave.
A caring doctor is an important predictor of the success of return to work programs
Return to work programs are more likely to have positive outcomes if participants have a stable relationship with a doctor who is attentive, empathetic, and provides good information about health and social options.
Musculoskeletal problems with anxiety / depression - double trouble.
People with musculoskeletal disorders and accompanying depression or anxiety have reduced levels of workforce participation. Tailored return-to-work programs that offer more intensive and continuous levels of support may help.
Are neurocognitive impairments being identified early enough, or at all, after critical illness?
A review of the assessment of neurocognitive impairment in critically ill patients and the resultant long term impact.
Return to work is possible after Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
While Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a significantly debilitating and lengthy illness, there is evidence to suggest a return to work is possible after effective treatment. Medical retirement should not be considered too early.
How effective is individual patient education for people with low back pain?
Evidence suggests provision of an intensive one-on-one education session can improve the short and long term return to work outcomes for patients with acute and sub-acute lower back pain.
RTW Management - What can Workplaces do to Intervene?
A mixed bag of workplace interventions have been trialed over the last 20 years.
Shoulder and elbow pain - which treatments work?
Evidence for and against common treatments for shoulder and elbow pain.
Workplace intervention VS Clinical intervention in treating Lower Back Pain
In this battle of the lower back pain heavyweights, who comes out on top and why?
I think I can, I think I can!
Advice for health professionals about the Little Engine That Could approach to recovery
 


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