Time course of the acute effects of core stabilisation exercise on seated postural control.

Core stabilisation exercises are often promoted for purposes ranging from general fitness to high-performance athletics, and the prevention and rehabilitation of back troubles. These exercises, when performed properly, may have the potential to enhance torso postural awareness and control, yet the potential for achieving immediate gains has not been completely studied. Fourteen healthy young participants performed a single bout of non-fatiguing core stabilisation exercise that consisted of repeated sets of 2 isometric exercises, the side bridge and the four-point contralateral arm-and-leg extension. Seated postural control, using an unstable balance platform on top of a force plate, was assessed before and after exercise, including multiple time points within a 20-minute follow-up period. Nine standard postural control variables were calculated at each time point, including sway displacement and velocity ranges, root mean squares and cumulative path length. Statistical analysis showed that none of the postural control variables were significantly different at any time point following completion of core stabilisation exercise. Thus, we conclude that a single bout of acute core stabilisation exercise is insufficient to immediately improve seated trunk postural control in young healthy individuals.

Supervisor and Organizational Factors Associated with Supervisor Support of Job Accommodations for Low Back Injured Workers.

Purpose Temporary job accommodations contribute to the prevention of chronic work disability due to low back pain (LBP) through the facilitation of early return to work; yet, workplace dimensions of job accommodation are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to determine supervisor and organizational factors associated with supervisors' support for temporary job accommodations for LBP injured workers. Methods Supervisors were recruited from 19 workplaces in the USA and Canada and completed an online survey regarding job accommodation practices and potential associated factors with respect to a case vignette of a worker with LBP. Multivariable linear regression was used to identify the most parsimonious set of factors associated with supervisors' support for accommodations. Results A total of 804 supervisors participated with 796 eligible for inclusion in the analysis. The final set of factors explained 21 % of the variance in supervisors' support for temporary job accommodations. Considerate leadership style (ß = 0.261; 95 % CI 0.212, 0.310), workplace disability management policies and practices (ß = 0.243; 95 % CI 0.188, 0.298), and supervisor autonomy for designing and providing workplace accommodations (ß = 0.156; 95 % CI 0.071, 0.241) had the largest effect on supervisor support for accommodations. Conclusion Factors predicting supervisors' likelihood to accommodate LBP injured workers include use of considerate leadership style, workplace disability management policies and practices, and supervisor autonomy. Workplace interventions targeting these factors should be developed and evaluated for their ability to improve work disability prevention outcomes.

Management of Acute Lumbar Injuries in the Workplace.

Occupational acute lumbar injuries are a common injury. One intervention that is unique to occupational health is the determination of the amount of physical activity that an injured worker can perform without increasing the risk of further injury. Clinical recommendations suggest that workers continue to stay active; however, it is still the clinician's responsibility to determine the level of activity. The level of work activity is determined on a case-to-case basis and is done by evaluating the physical capacity of an injured worker and the job description. Current evidence-based guidelines suggest that staying active may actually reduce pain levels. The purpose of this evidence-based literature review is to outline the proper assessment and management of workers who have sustained a work-related low back injury. The related literature has been reviewed as well as red flags for more severe neurological conditions that require more in-depth evaluation. Determining the safe level of activity and guided return to work have been discussed.

Core Training and Rehabilitation in Horses.

The central body axis or core is a key component in controlling body posture and providing a stable platform for limb movements and generation of locomotor forces. Persistent dysfunction of the deep stabilizing muscles seems to be common in horses indicating a need for core training exercises to restore normal function. Core training should be performed throughout the horse's athletic career to maintain a healthy back and used therapeutically when back pain is identified. This article reviews the structure and function of the equine thoracolumbar spine with special reference to function, dysfunction, conditioning, and rehabilitation of the core musculature.

Do experienced physiotherapists and final year physiotherapy trainees apply similar force during posterior-to-anterior lumbar mobilization techniques?

This study aims to quantify the force applied during posterior-to-anterior lumbar vertebrae mobilizations of different grades (I to IV) and compare that force between experienced physiotherapists and final year physiotherapy students. Four experienced physiotherapists and four final year physiotherapy students participated in this study along with five healthy asymptomatic individuals. A manual therapy table positioned over three force plates allowed for measurements of the force oscillation frequency and intensity applied during grade I, II, III and IV posterior-to-anterior (PA) mobilizations at two lumbar vertebral levels (L2 and L4). Mixed model ANOVAs were used to compare the force applied between the experienced physiotherapists and students, and between the various grades. The results showed that the mean oscillation frequency was similar between the groups for all grades. Grade I and grade IV PA mobilizations showed similar mean oscillation frequency as did grade II and III PA mobilizations. The minimum and maximum force applied was higher for the physiotherapists than for the students for all mobilization grades (p values < 0.05). Similar mean maximum force values were recorded for PA mobilizations between grade I and II and between grade III and grade IV. Grade III and IV PA mobilizations yielded higher mean maximum force values than those recorded during grade I and grade II PA mobilizations. The method used in this study allowed for quantification of the force applied during lumbar PA mobilizations. Experienced physiotherapists apply greater force than physiotherapy students across all grades, despite similar oscillation frequency.

Participants' evaluation of a brief intervention for pain-related work disability.

The aim of the study was to describe participants' evaluation of a light cognitive-behavioral therapy-based intervention for pain-related work disability. The sample (n=33) participated in a 6-week program and had the following features: mean age was 41 years; 67% men; 54.5% back injury; 48.5% unskilled; and mean time lost from work was 16.6 months (range 2-161 months). A program evaluation form was completed. The program was reportedly helpful for improving pain self-management, activity levels, and work resumption. However, over 25% of the sample requested more time be spent on sleep strategies, relaxation, and anger and flare-ups management. It 'did not solve the pain problem'. Despite making gains in pain management, many participants continued to experience pain and desired to sleep better, relax more, and be distress and pain free. This ongoing suffering may be under recognized in a system that focuses on return-to-work before full recovery.

Predicting non return to work after orthopaedic trauma: the Wallis Occupational Rehabilitation RisK (WORRK) model.

BACKGROUND: Workers with persistent disabilities after orthopaedic trauma may need occupational rehabilitation. Despite various risk profiles for non-return-to-work (non-RTW), there is no available predictive model. Moreover, injured workers may have various origins (immigrant workers), which may either affect their return to work or their eligibility for research purposes. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a predictive model that estimates the likelihood of non-RTW after occupational rehabilitation using predictors which do not rely on the worker's background. METHODS: Prospective cohort study (3177 participants, native (51%) and immigrant workers (49%)) with two samples: a) Development sample with patients from 2004 to 2007 with Full and Reduced Models, b) External validation of the Reduced Model with patients from 2008 to March 2010. We collected patients' data and biopsychosocial complexity with an observer rated interview (INTERMED). Non-RTW was assessed two years after discharge from the rehabilitation. Discrimination was assessed by the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) and calibration was evaluated with a calibration plot. The model was reduced with random forests. RESULTS: At 2 years, the non-RTW status was known for 2462 patients (77.5% of the total sample). The prevalence of non-RTW was 50%. The full model (36 items) and the reduced model (19 items) had acceptable discrimination performance (AUC 0.75, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.78 and 0.74, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.76, respectively) and good calibration. For the validation model, the discrimination performance was acceptable (AUC 0.73; 95% CI 0.70 to 0.77) and calibration was also adequate. CONCLUSIONS: Non-RTW may be predicted with a simple model constructed with variables independent of the patient's education and language fluency. This model is useful for all kinds of trauma in order to adjust for case mix and it is applicable to vulnerable populations like immigrant workers.

A prospective study of factors affecting recovery from musculoskeletal injuries.

PURPOSE: Research suggests the importance of psychosocial factors in recovery from musculoskeletal injuries. The objective of this study was to identify predictors of recovery among U.S. Marines who had musculoskeletal injuries of the back, knee, or shoulder. METHODS: A sample of 134 participants was assessed at baseline and followed for 1 year to determine outcome information. RESULTS: The strongest predictor of injury recovery at the 1-year follow-up was recovery expectations. In a multivariate logistic model with key demographic and psychosocial factors controlled, individuals who had high recovery expectations at baseline were over five times as likely to be recovered at follow-up as individuals who had low expectations (OR = 5.18, p\.01). CONCLUSIONS: This finding is consistent with a large body of research that has linked recovery expectations with better recovery outcomes in patients with musculoskeletal injuries as well as with research linking recovery expectations with better outcomes across a wide range of medical conditions.Applied to military populations, interventions designed to modify recovery expectations may have the potential to improve rates of return to duty and to reduce rates of disability discharge.

Health outcomes can be improved by implementing an occupational physiotherapy provider programme.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the return to work and health outcomes of a physiotherapy network provider programme. METHOD: A prospective case-control study was conducted with 21 clients of network occupational physiotherapy (OP) providers and 21 matched clients of non-network providers. OUTCOME MEASURES: Health outcomes and return to work were recorded 3 and 6 months following the commencement of physiotherapy. Health outcomes included the Short Form (SF)-12, return to usual activities and the global perceived effect of treatment. Within-group changes and between-group differences were analysed. RESULTS: Within-group changes showed the OP group improved significantly in physical functioning (p = 0.006), and the control group deteriorated in mental health status (p = 0.016) as measured by the SF-12. Mean change over time between groups from the 3-month to 6-month follow-ups showed a significant difference favouring the OP group for return to usual activities (p = 0.027) and the physical component of the SF-12 (p = 0.009). All job-attached participants returned to work following their accident, so there was no difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: The OP clients demonstrated a greater change in physical functioning health outcomes over time. This study provides preliminary support for the implementation of the OP scheme.

Development of a cumulative psychosocial factor index for problematic recovery following work-related musculoskeletal injuries.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial variables such as fear of movement, depression, and pain catastrophizing have been shown to be important prognostic factors for a wide range of pain-related outcomes. The potential for a cumulative relationship between different elevated psychosocial factors and problematic recovery following physical therapy has not been fully explored. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the level of risk for problematic recovery following work-related injuries is associated with the number of elevated psychosocial factors. DESIGN: This was a prospective cohort study. METHODS: Two hundred two individuals with subacute, work-related musculoskeletal injuries completed a 7-week physical therapy intervention and participated in testing at treatment onset and 1 year later. An index of psychosocial risk was created from measures of fear of movement, depression, and pain catastrophizing. This index was used to predict the likelihood of experiencing problematic recovery in reference to pain intensity and return-to-work status at the 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis revealed that the number of prognostic factors was a significant predictor of persistent pain and work disability at the 1-year follow-up. Chi-square analysis revealed that the risk for problematic recovery increased for patients with elevated levels on at least 1 psychosocial factor and was highest when patients had elevated scores on all 3 psychosocial factors. LIMITATIONS: The physical therapy interventions used in this study were not standardized. This study did not include a specific measure for physical function. CONCLUSIONS: The number of elevated psychosocial factors present in the subacute phase of recovery has a cumulative effect on the level of risk for problematic recovery 1 year later. This research suggests that a cumulative prognostic factor index could be used in clinical settings to improve prognostic accuracy and to facilitate clinical decision making.

Improper analysis of trials randomised using stratified blocks or minimisation.

Many clinical trials restrict randomisation using stratified blocks or minimisation to balance prognostic factors across treatment groups. It is widely acknowledged in the statistical literature that the subsequent analysis should reflect the design of the study, and any stratification or minimisation variables should be adjusted for in the analysis. However, a review of recent general medical literature showed only 14 of 41 eligible studies reported adjusting their primary analysis for stratification or minimisation variables. We show that balancing treatment groups using stratification leads to correlation between the treatment groups. If this correlation is ignored and an unadjusted analysis is performed, standard errors for the treatment effect will be biased upwards, resulting in 95% confidence intervals that are too wide, type I error rates that are too low and a reduction in power. Conversely, an adjusted analysis will give valid inference. We explore the extent of this issue using simulation for continuous, binary and time-to-event outcomes where treatment is allocated using stratified block randomisation or minimisation.

Medical care surrounding work-related back injury claims among Washington State Union Carpenters, 1989-2003.

OBJECTIVE: We describe medical care received through workers' compensation (WC) and union-provided insurance surrounding work-related back injuries and examine relationships between care provided and time off work among a large cohort of carpenters. METHODS AND PARTICIPANTS: Union records identified a cohort of 20,642 carpenters working in Washington State from 1989-2003 and their private health insurance claims. These data were linked to workers' compensation files from this state-run program including records of medical care. RESULTS: Over 74,000 WC medical encounters resulted from 2959 work-related back injuries. Eleven percent received private care for musculoskeletal back pain within 90 days of work-related injury; this proportion increased with increasing lost days. Delay to physical therapy was more prevalent among those out of work longest. The proportion of claimants with care from both systems and from private utilization only increased after the first 90 days and, for the subset with at least one paid lost work day, after return to work. CONCLUSIONS: Examination of medical care through both systems versus solely in workers' compensation provides a more complete understanding of back injury care while also demonstrating complexity. Differences in outcomes based upon treatment shortly after injury are worthy of further exploration.

Effective occupational therapy interventions in the rehabilitation of individuals with work-related low back injuries and illnesses: a systematic review.

A systematic review of the literature related to effective occupational therapy interventions in rehabilitation of individuals with work-related low back injuries and illnesses was carried out as part of the Evidence-Based Literature Review Project of the American Occupational Therapy Association. This review evaluated research on a broad range of occupational therapy-related intervention procedures and approaches. Findings from the review indicate that the evidence is insufficient to support or refute the effectiveness of exercise therapy and other conservative treatments for subacute and chronic low back injuries. The research reviewed strongly suggests that for interventions to be effective, occupational therapy practitioners should use a holistic, client-centered approach. The research supports the need for occupational therapy practitioners to consider multiple strategies for addressing clients' needs. Specifically, interventions for individuals with low back injuries and illnesses should incorporate a biopsychosocial, client-centered approach that includes actively involving the client in the rehabilitation process at the beginning of the intervention process and addressing the client's psychosocial needs in addition to his or her physical impairments. The implications for occupational therapy practice, research, and education are also discussed.

Legal sequelae of occupational back injuries: a longitudinal analysis of Missouri judicial records.

STUDY DESIGN: Telephone survey and longitudinal analysis of judicial database for cohort of worker's compensation (WC) claimants in Missouri. OBJECTIVE: To compare legal difficulties experienced by African American and white WC claimants presettlement versus postsettlement. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Retrospective studies suggest that workers with occupational back injuries experience financial and personal duress after claim settlement. This study examined these issues by comparing financial and domestic court actions for the 5-year presettlement against 5-year postsettlement. Sociodemographic differences also were examined. METHODS: Missouri judicial records were reviewed for African American (n = 580) and non-Hispanic white (n = 892) WC claimants to determine the frequency with which four types of cases occurred: general financial, domestic financial, residence financial, and domestic behavior. Average annual level of judicial activity during the 5 years before claim settlement was compared to activity for each of five postsettlement years; significance of change was evaluated with univariate and multivariate repeated measures analyses. RESULTS: Statistically significant (P < 0.001) postsettlement increases in legal cases were noted for each of the four categories of cases. There were significant interactions between race and time for general financial and domestic financial cases. A significant interaction between age and time occurred for general financial cases. Significant three-way interactions (race × income change × time) emerged for general and domestic financial cases. CONCLUSION: The results confirm that workers with occupational back injuries, especially African American and younger adults, encounter long-term financial and domestic duress that appears to escalate with each passing year after claim settlement. This pattern suggests that short-term studies underestimate postsettlement difficulties, particularly among selected demographic cohorts.

The Work Ratio--modeling the likelihood of return to work for workers with musculoskeletal disorders: A fuzzy logic approach.

The world of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) is complicated and fuzzy. Fuzzy logic provides a precise framework for complex problems characterized by uncertainty, vagueness and imprecision. Although fuzzy logic would appear to be an ideal modeling language to help address the complexity of MSDs, little research has been done in this regard. The Work Ratio is a novel mathematical model that uses fuzzy logic to provide a numerical and linguistic valuation of the likelihood of return to work and remaining at work. It can be used for a worker with any MSD at any point in time. Basic mathematical concepts from set theory and fuzzy logic are reviewed. A case study is then used to illustrate the use of the Work Ratio. Its potential strengths and limitations are discussed. Further research of its use with a variety of MSDs, settings and multidisciplinary teams is needed to confirm its universal value.

Core stability and bicycling.

Bicycling is a popular fitness activity in the United States and around the world. Because of the nature of the bicycling position, the neck and back are at risk for injury. One method to prevent these injuries is to ensure that the body's "core" is strong and stable. A strong and stable core also provides a platform to maximize power transfer, improving performance. Core exercises also may enhance recovery from intense bicycling efforts. Simple stability exercises can improve performance and may prevent injuries in bicyclists.

Course, diagnosis, and treatment of depressive symptomatology in workers following a workplace injury: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate prevalence, incidence, and course of depressive symptoms and prevalence of mental health treatment following a workplace injury, and to estimate the association between depressive symptoms and return-to-work (RTW) trajectories. METHOD: In a prospective cohort study, workers filing a lost-time compensation claim for a work-related musculoskeletal disorder of the back or upper extremity were interviewed 1 month (n = 599) and 6 months (n = 430) postinjury. A high level of depressive symptoms was defined as 16 or more on the self-reported Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) Scale. The following estimates are reported: prevalence of high depressive symptom levels at 1 and 6 months postinjury; incidence, resolution, and persistence of high depressive symptom levels between 1 and 6 months; and prevalence of self-reported mental health treatment and depression diagnosis at 6 months postinjury. RESULTS: Prevalence of high depressive symptom levels at 1 month and 6 months postinjury were 42.9% (95% CI 38.9% to 46.9%) and 26.5% (95% CI 22.3% to 30.7%), respectively. Among participants reporting high depressive symptom levels at 1 month postinjury, 47.2% (95% CI 39.9% to 54.5%) experienced a persistence of symptoms 6 months postinjury. By 6 months, 38.6% of workers who never returned to work or had work disability recurrences had high depressive symptom levels, compared with 17.7% of those with a sustained RTW trajectory. At 6-month follow-up, 12.9% (95% CI 5.8% to 20.1%) of participants with persistently high depressive symptom levels self-reported a depression diagnosis since injury and 23.8% (95% CI 14.7% to 32.9%) were receiving depression treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms are pervasive in workers with musculoskeletal injuries, but transient for some, and seldom diagnosed as depression or treated.

Predictors of delayed return to work after back injury: A case-control analysis of union carpenters in Washington State.

METHODS: Union administrative records identified 20,642 union carpenters who worked in Washington State from 1989 to 2003. The Department of Labor and Industries provided records of workers' compensation claims and associated medical care. Work-related back claims (n = 4,241) were identified by ANSI codes (back, trunk, or neck/back) or ICD-9 codes relevant to medical care consistent with a back injury. Cases (n = 738) were defined as back injury claims with >90 days of paid lost time; controls (n = 699) resulted in return to work within 30 days. Logistic regression models estimated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (OR, 95% CI) of delayed return to work (DRTW). RESULTS: Thirty percent of case claims and 8% of control claims were identified by an ICD-9 code. DRTW after back injury was associated with being female (2.7, 95% CI: 1.3-5.5), age 30-44 (1.2, 95% CI: 0.9-1.7) and age over 45 (1.6, 95% CI: 1.1-2.3), four or more years union experience (1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.8), previous paid time loss back claim (1.8, 95% CI: 1.3-2.5), and >or=30-day delay to medical care (3.6, 95% CI: 2.1, 6.1). Evidence of more acute trauma was also associated with DRTW. CONCLUSIONS: Use of ICD-9 codes identified claims with multiple injuries that would otherwise not be captured by ANSI codes alone. Though carpenters of younger age and inexperience were at increased risk for a paid lost time back injury claim, older carpenters and more experienced workers, once injured, were more likely to have DRTW as were those who experienced acute events.

Occupational health nurses--the solution to absence management?

Business and industry are currently focused on increasing employee productivity, reducing employee injuries and lost work time, and minimizing costs. Absence from work due to either injury or health-related leave negatively affects both direct and indirect costs. Absenteeism, regardless of reason, negatively impacts company profit. To decrease the multiple costs of unplanned absences, the occupational health nurse can collaborate with Human Resources professionals and management to create cost-saving short- and long-term disability programs, manage Family and Medical Leave Act programs, and case manage the care of all employees with workers' compensation claims.