title: Outpatient rehabilitation as an intervention to improve employees' physical capacity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aging of the workforce poses new challenges for maintaining work ability. Because of limited information on the effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation performed in traditional inpatient programs, extended interest in outpatient rehabilitation has risen in the past few years.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined the effects of a new outpatient rehabilitation program where every participant defined their own goals to improve work ability by the aid of a goal-oriented multi-professional team. This report will focus on the employees' physical capacity during a nine-month program.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 605 municipal employees from different production areas of the City of Tampere took part in the outpatient rehabilitation program, implemented by the occupational health unit. Groups of 12 employees participated in eight one-day sessions at intervals of two to three weeks; the final follow-up was 9 months from the beginning. Submaximal aerobic capacity was tested by a calibrated cycle ergometer with a commercial program (Aino Fitware pro, Helsinki, Finland). Musculoskeletal tests assessed muscle strength, balance and mobility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 9-month follow-up of the rehabilitation program, the employees' physical capacity was improved. The follow-up test scores from a total of 329 employees were significantly higher in the submaximal aerobic capacity test (p < 0.001). Other tests were also improved, such as standing on one foot (p = 0.001), back side bending flexibility test (p < 0.001), dynamic sit up (p = 0.001), upper extremity right (p < 0.001), and knee bending (p = 0.029). About 40% of the participants did not have an adequate health situation to take part in physical capacity tests; however they took part in the intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new outpatient rehabilitation program organized by the occupational health unit had a positive influence on employees' physical capacity during a nine-month follow up.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland.|Tullinkulma Occupational Health Unit, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ojala
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Clas-Håkan
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Nygård
authors.affiliation: Tullinkulma Occupational Health Unit, Tampere, Finland.|School of Medicine and FIMLAB Laboratories, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Seppo T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Nikkari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D010807:Physical Endurance; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Health promotion; cognitive behavioral theory based training (CBTr); work ability