Management and Outcome of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders
Condition: Neck Injury; Back Injury; Arms Injury; Cumulative Disorder
MeSH terms: Wounds and Injuries; Back Injuries; Arm Injuries; Neck Injuries
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Work-related musculoskeletal disorders(MSD)are very common，which account for most of the
      occupational compensation in U.S.A。According to the epidemiological surveys，injured sites are
      frequent at low back，neck and shoulder and upper extremity。Although the MSD will not threaten
      the lives，they result in discomfort，some cost much and decrease the productivity。There was
      little study in our country to reveal the risk factors of medical utilization and disabling
      of MSD。Therefore，we do not have well-established strategy of the assessment and treatment for
      the workers who can not return to work。The purposes of this study are：1、To have sequential
      surveys to find the prevalence，incidence and possible risk factors of work-related MSD of
      employees in different industries and their medical utilization and disabled conditions。2、To
      find the victims of work-related MSD from clinics，assess their disablement and if they return
      to work and to find the factors those prevent them return to work。3、To develop individualized
      work hardening programs for the victims who can not return to wok after treatment。The program
      will be established according to their injuries and their work characteristics。
    

Detailed description: 
      Work-related musculoskeletal disorders(MSD)are very common，which account for most of the
      occupational compensation in U.S.A。According to the epidemiological surveys，injured sites are
      frequent at low back，neck and shoulder and upper extremity。Although the MSD will not threaten
      the lives，they result in discomfort，some cost much and decrease the productivity。There was
      little study in our country to reveal the risk factors of medical utilization and disabling
      of MSD。Therefore，we do not have well-established strategy of the assessment and treatment for
      the workers who can not return to work。The purposes of this study are：1、To have sequential
      surveys to find the prevalence，incidence and possible risk factors of work-related MSD of
      employees in different industries and their medical utilization and disabled conditions。2、To
      find the victims of work-related MSD from clinics，assess their disablement and if they return
      to work and to find the factors those prevent them return to work。3、To develop individualized
      work hardening programs for the victims who can not return to wok after treatment。The program
      will be established according to their injuries and their work characteristics。In the first
      year，questionnaire will be used to find the prevalence of work-related MSD of employees in
      different industries with various work types。The demographic factors and the exposure factors
      will also be collected to find the risk factors。One month and 6 months after the first
      surveillance，the 2nd and 3rd surveillances will be executed to find the new incidence and
      their medical utilization and loss of work time。In the second year，the injured workers（in low
      back，neck and shoulder and upper extremity）from outpatient departments will be followed and
      assessed。They will be followed for 3 months to reveal their medical need，their recovery and
      if they return to work after treatment。According to all the data，we can find the ratios of
      loss of work time in different types of injuries and the risk factors causing unable to
      return to work。In the second half of this year，the authors will begin to establish the
      individualized work hardening programs and to finish the prevention and training booklets。In
      the third year，we will find the workers who can not return to wok after 3-month treatment in
      the clinics。After the assessment of their severity and residual working ability，the workers
      will be randomized into training or control groups。There will be 15 workers in each group in
      3 kinds of injuries（low back，neck and shoulder and upper extremity），totally 90 workers will
      be recruited。After 3-month work hardening training program，re-assessment will be done and
      their return-to-work rate will be followed 3 and 6 months later。
    

Intervention name(s): work hardening program
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Keywords: musculoskeletal disorder, work hardening, return to work