title: Effects on sick-leave of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme for chronic low back, neck or shoulder pain: comparison with usual treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the outcome of active multidisciplinary treatment in an outpatient setting upon sick-leave status among patients with neck, shoulder and low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multidisciplinary treatment was administered to 121 patients (intervention group) over 4 weeks of structured intervention, followed by 8 weeks of less structured consultations. Effects of treatment were compared with usual treatment (control group: n = 97).
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients were in the chronic stage of pain (average sick-leave: 6 months) with different diagnoses: neck-shoulder pain, low back pain or low back pain with radiating extremity pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention group programme included posture corrections, pain perception, skills to cope with pain, aerobic and fitness-promoting activities and relaxation techniques administered to groups of 8-10 patients. The Local National Insurance Office referred the patients who were diagnosed by general practitioners. A 12-month follow-up by the Local National Insurance Office provided feedback about sick-leave status of all 218 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant treatment difference in proportion taken off the sick list after 12 months (intervention group: 78.5%; control group: 50.5%; p < 0.001). The difference was greater among low back pain (p < 0.001) than among neck-shoulder (p < 0.053) and low back pain with radiating extremity pain (p < 0.031) patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term effects of active multidisciplinary treatment were superior to treatment as usual in all diagnostic groups.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Physical Medicine 3T, Trondheim, Norway. sturla@fysmed.no
authors.forename: Sturla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Storrø
authors.forename: Janne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moen
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Svebak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000379:methods; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D018582:Sick Leave; D016896:Treatment Outcome