Models of return to work for musculoskeletal disorders.
BACKGROUND
Musculoskeletal pain disorders are the most prevalent, costly, disabling, and commonly researched conditions in the workplace, yet the development of overarching conceptual models of return to work (RTW) in these conditions has been lagging.


METHODS
A critical review of the literature was performed using multiple medical and health search engines in order to provide an evaluation of the evolution and the state of the art of health and disability models with a focus on specific models of RTW.


RESULTS
The main tenets, implications for diagnosis, treatment, and disability compensation, are the key perspectives analyzed for the following specific models of RTW: biomedical, psychosocial, forensic, ecological/case management, biopsychosocial, and two more recent models developed by the Institute of Medicine and the World Health Organization, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Future development of models that are truly transdisciplinary, and address temporal and multidimensional aspects of occupational disability, remains a goal.
Schultz
Izabela Z
IZ
Deparment of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, The University of British Columbia, Scarfe Library Annex, Room 297, 2125 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Colmbia, Canada, V6T 1Z2. ischultz@telus.net
Stowell
Anna W
AW
Feuerstein
Michael
M
Gatchel
Robert J
RJ
D004651:Employment; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010146:Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D018582:Sick Leave