Effect of a cognitive behavioral intervention with or without a Functional Capacity Evaluation on work ability in patients with musculoskeletal pain.

Rationale:

Chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain (CMP) can lead to prolonged absence of work and thereby high costs related to work absenteeism and treatment. Cognitive behavioural interventions have demonstrated effectiveness for improvement of work ability. Addition of a Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) to a cognitive behavioral intervention can further improve work ability.



Objective:

To measure whether adding a FCE to a cognitive behavioral intervention will improve work ability, quality of life and self efficacy.



Study design:

Randomized controlled trial.



Study population:

Patients with CMP with decreased work ability.



Intervention:

The intervention consist of six treatment sessions of 45 minutes in 16 weeks time. The patient receives instructions and assignments about how to handle the pain more adequately. Attention will be paid to the principles of chronic pain, improvement of health behaviour, and graded activity to improve the activity level. The program will be given by a physiotherapist or a psychologist and is specifically aimed at individual treatment goals. In the experimental group the treatment program will be extended with and based on a FCE which consist of a maximum of seven work- and complaints related physical tests.



Main study parameters/endpoints:

Work ability measured with the Work Ability Index.



Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness:

The risk of the study is negligible. All test are considered safe for the patients and with a low burden.

The addition of a Functional Capacity Evaluation to a cognitive behavioral intervention will improve work ability, quality of life and self efficacy.

At the beginning and end of the intervention period.

The regular intervention consist of six treatment sessions of 45 minutes in 16 weeks time. The patient receives instructions and assignments about how to handle the pain more adequately. Attention will be paid to the principles of chronic pain, improvement of health behaviour, and graded activity to improve the activity level. The program will be given by a physiotherapist or a psychologist and is specifically aimed at individual treatment goals.

In the experimental group the treatment program will be extended with and based on a FCE which consist of a maximum of seven work- and complaints related physical tests. The tests takes two hours two complete.