Workers and sick-listed people with chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain: Physical activity level and pattern, psychosocial and pain-related characteristics, and experiences.

Hengel, E.J. van der (Erik) (2011) Workers and sick-listed people with chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain: Physical activity level and pattern, psychosocial and pain-related characteristics, and experiences. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Three studies were performed to analyze physical activity levels and patterns of workers and sick -listed people with chronic musculoskeletal pain ( CMP; study 1 ), to analyze differences in psychosocial and pain-related variables between workers and sicklisted patients with CMP (study 2) and to explore the experiences and attitudes of patients with CMP towards their sick-leave (study 3). METHODS: The activity levels and patterns of workers and sick-listed patients with CMP were assessed objectively using accelerometry, psychosocial and pain-related variables were measured with questionnaires. To explore the experiences and attitudes of sick-listed patients with CMP, transcribed interviews of psychologists were analyzed, coded and divided into themes. RESULTS: After correction for age and gender, a significant difference was found in physical activity level between workers and sick -listed patients with CMP. No significant differences were found in the physical activity pattern during the day between the groups. Between working and sick-listed patients with CMP, no differences were found for both pain-related fear and catastrophizing thoughts, but the groups differed significantly on physical work load and the interference of pain on daily activities. Out of the interviews three themes (sick-leave indicators, return-to-work motivators and consequences of sick-leave) appeared that were perceived as important. CONCLUSIONS: The studies showed that working with CMP seems related to a higher physical activity level, but not to different physical activity patterns over the day. The unexplained variance between workers and sick-listed people with CMP however, does not seem to be explained by pain-related fear and catastrophizing thoughts but by interference of pain and physical work load. The studies also showed that sick-listed patients with CMP lack a proactive attitude towards dealing with the pain, a good balance in physical activity and appropriate priorities.

Item Type:	Thesis (Thesis)
Supervisor name:	Vries, H.J. Drs. De and Reneman, Dr. M.F. and Woude, Prof. dr. Van der L.H.V. and Human Movement Sciences and Specialization: Rehabilitation
Faculty:	Medical Sciences
Date Deposited:	25 Jun 2020 11:05
Last Modified:	25 Jun 2020 11:05
URI:	https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/2524

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