The effectiveness of a work hardening program on low back pain patients
Date Issued
2008
Date
2008
Author(s)
Chia-Ning Chang
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to examine the short and long term effectiveness of the work hardening program on the pain score, lifting and carrying capacity, and work status of the low back pain clients. Simultaneously, the relationship within the demographic, social, psychological factors, and the work status were studied as well. The subjects were 23 low back pain clients without job or with decreased workability. The clients receiving standard work hardening were experimental group (13 people) while the others couldn’t finish the program or received <5 days training were considered as control group (10 people). Both groups were examined with National Taiwan University Hospital Functional Capacity Evaluation (NTUH-FCE) and the Numerical Pain Scale (NRS) before the treatment. The experimental group was evaluated again at the time of discharge. The work status of all the clients was collected by phone at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after discharge. Averagely three years after the discharge, the clients were recalled to complete the NTUH-FCE, NRS, and the work and health status questionnaire. Results revealed that after work hardening, the carrying capacity, lifting capacity, lifting match ratio, and the pain score of the experimental group improved. At the time of the long term follow up, subjects in the experiemental group had the same results as those of discharge, which meant that the effectiveness of the work hardening program lasted for at least 3 years. The study found that the people with longer injury days or sick leave days had more difficulty in returning to work and while the female clients and the ones with <25% work ability loss could keep their job easier. The primary limitations of this study were the small sample size and the methods of data collection. The study design should be refined. Finally, this study supported the effectiveness of the work hardening programfor the employees with low back pain to return to work safely.
Subjects
low back pain
work hardening
return to work
lifting and carrying capacity
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