Social inequality in working life expectancy in Sweden.

Background: In Sweden there is a socioeconomic divide between white and blue collar workers with respect to the risk for premature exit from working life. Disability pension has long represented a major reason behind early exits.

Objective: The present investigation aimed at studying the effect on socioeconomic groups of new guidelines issued by the Swedish government in 2006, limiting the possibilities for applicants to be granted pension on medical grounds.

Has the participation of older employees in the workforce increased? Study of the total Swedish population regarding exit from working life.

Aims: This study investigated: (i) the workforce participation in Sweden among older employees before and after changes in eligibility for sickness absence and unemployment compensation by a social insurance reform; and (ii) absence and early exit mechanisms from the workforce for different professions by looking at sickness benefits, disability pension and unemployment, early statutory pension, employment pension and unregistered economic supply.

Methods: A register-based follow-up study of the total Swedish workforce population of 55-64-year-olds, measured in 2004 and 2011.

Results: The total proportion of individuals aged 55-64 in the workforce increased between 2004 and 2011, but the increase was mostly in professions with lower educational requirements, a lower salary and dominated by women.

Psychosocial work conditions, perceived stress, perceived muscular tension, and neck/shoulder symptoms among medical secretaries.

Purpose: Unfavorable psychosocial working conditions are hypothesized to lead to perceived stress, which, in turn, can be related to an increased risk of development of neck/shoulder symptoms through increased and sustained muscle activation. The aim of the present study was to test this hypothesized process model among medical secretaries, a female-dominated profession characterized by a high amount of visual display unit use and a high prevalence of neck/shoulder symptoms.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire survey was conducted among medical secretaries (n = 200).

Myofeedback training and intensive muscular strength training to decrease pain and improve work ability among female workers on long-term sick leave with neck pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Unlabelled: The theoretical framework is that muscle tension in the neck is related to insufficient muscular rest and is a risk factor for chronic pain and reduced work ability. Promoting muscle strength and muscle rest may increase work ability and reduce neck pain.

Objectives: To test whether myofeedback training or intensive strength training leads to decreased pain and increased work ability in women on long-term sick leave.

Prognostic factors for the effect of a myofeedback-based teletreatment service.

We investigated the potential prognostic factors for clinically relevant improvements in pain intensity and pain-related disability after myofeedback-based teletreatment. Sixty-five female computer users, 56 female patients with whiplash-associated disorders and 18 female patients with non-specific neck and shoulder pain participated in the study. They received myofeedback-based teletreatment or usual treatment.

Prognostic factors for intervention effect on neck/shoulder symptom intensity and disability among female computer workers.

Introduction: It has been suggested that treatments may be more effective when they are matched to patient characteristics. This study aimed at investigating potential prognostic factors for clinically relevant improvement in symptom intensity and symptom-related disability among employees with symptoms in the neck/shoulder area, receiving either ergonomics counseling or such counseling in combination with myofeedback training.

Methods: A randomized controlled study was performed among female computer users aged 45 or older (n = 36).

Prognostic factors for the effects of two interventions for work-related neck-shoulder complaints: myofeedback training and ergonomic counselling.

Aim: To explore prognostic factors for the effects of two interventions (myofeedback training in combination with ergonomic counselling (Mfb/EC) and ergonomic counselling alone (EC)) on discomfort and disability in work-related neck-shoulder complaints.

Methods: Thirty-six females completed the interventions. Discomfort and disability were assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at 3-month follow-up.

Changes in cognitive-behavioral factors and muscle activation patterns after interventions for work-related neck-shoulder complaints: relations with discomfort and disability.

Objectives: Knowledge regarding the working mechanism of an intervention is essential for obtaining a better understanding of the intervention and contributes to optimize its outcome. This study aimed at investigating whether changes in cognitive-behavioral factors and muscle activation patterns after myofeedback training and ergonomic counseling were associated with outcome, in subjects with work-related musculoskeletal neck-shoulder complaints.

Methods: Seventy-nine symptomatic subjects received either myofeedback with ergonomic counseling (Mfb/EC) or ergonomic counseling alone (EC).

Effects of ambulant myofeedback training and ergonomic counselling in female computer workers with work-related neck-shoulder complaints: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate the effects of ambulant myofeedback training including ergonomic counselling (Mfb) and ergonomic counselling alone (EC), on work-related neck-shoulder pain and disability.

Methods: Seventy-nine female computer workers reporting neck-shoulder complaints were randomly assigned to Mfb or EC and received four weeks of intervention. Pain intensity in neck, shoulders, and upper back, and pain disability, were measured at baseline, immediately after intervention, and at three and six months follow-up.

Are changes in pain induced by myofeedback training related to changes in muscle activation patterns in patients with work-related myalgia?

The objective of this explorative study was to investigate to what extent changes in perceived pain, induced by myofeedback training, are correlated to changes in muscle activation patterns. Thirty subjects with work-related myalgia received myofeedback training. Before (T(0)), directly after (T(1)) and 4 weeks or, in a subset of patients, 3 months after (T(2)) this training, surface electromyography (sEMG) measurements of the upper trapezius muscle were performed during standardized computer tasks; a typing and a stress task.