Coping with chronic pain: current advances and practical information for clinicians.

Transferring knowledge and evidence from the pain psychology literature to all types of practitioners is one small but important step towards reducing the economic and personal cost of injuries. Through early identification of at-risk clients, it may be possible to prevent chronic pain from developing. Pain is a perception which is affected by physical, psychological and social factors, yet many health care professionals are only beginning to consider the relative contributions of each of these elements. It is essential that clinicians understanding of how a client's pain coping strategies impact progress and functional outcomes. For clients endorsing maladaptive methods of coping, one step is to refer the client to a psychologist; however, understanding of key underlying principles can also inform any type of treatment. All care providers involved with the client should discourage maladaptive strategies where appropriate and encouraging adaptive ones. Of equal importance is knowing whether or not the client is ready to adapt to change. Clinician knowledge of coping strategies and readiness may also help reduce the likelihood of clients withdrawing from treatment in frustration. The end result will hopefully be less disability and improved functioning of clients experiencing chronic pain.

Using the ICF as a conceptual framework to guide ergonomic intervention in occupational rehabilitation.

Traditional treatment of work-related musculoskeletal disorders focuses on the body functions and body structures aspects of the injury, with little or no attention paid to ergonomics as a form of treatment. The use of ergonomics in preventing disability in injured workers is a relatively new area of study. There are a number of factors that may contribute to the lack of emphasis on ergonomic interventions in the prevention of disability following musculoskeletal injury. For instance, a review of the knowledge base suggests that there is a lack of a formal conceptualization or standardized approach to ergonomics in the return to work process. In part, this lack of consistency may be due to the varied disciplinary backgrounds of ergonomists, leading individuals to view ergonomics from a specific perspective, rather than utilizing a transdisciplinary approach. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new practice model of occupational rehabilitation ergonomics. The model draws upon the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) and merges this with basic ergonomic and rehabilitation principles.