Progressive resistance exercise for improving pain and disability in chronic neck pain: A case series.

Objectives: Chronic neck pain is known to be associated with neck muscle weakness. However, many strengthening programs do not target multi-directional weakness in a functional position. Specialised assessment and treatment technology that is able to strengthen the neck muscles in an upright position may be used to achieve this.

Assessment of a new tool to improve case manager identification of delayed return to work in the first two weeks of a workers' compensation claim.

Objective: To determine whether the Plan of Action for a Case (PACE) tool improved identification of workers at risk of delayed return to work.

Design: Prospective cohort of workers with accepted workers' compensation claims in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

Interventions: The 41-item PACE tool was completed by the case manager within the first two weeks of a claim.

An effective coaching intervention for people with low recovery expectations and low back pain: a content analysis.

Background: A health coaching intervention in addition to usual physiotherapy care increased recovery expectation and activity in people with non-chronic NSLBP and low recovery expectation.

Objective: We aimed to fully describe the coaching intervention to allow replication and enable a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind health coaching in this setting.

Methods: A qualitative analysis was conducted using notes taken by the coach during the health coaching intervention.

Patient recovery expectations in non-chronic non-specific low back pain: a qualitative investigation.

Objective: Low recovery expectations have been identified as a strong and consistent predictor of poor outcome in non-chronic non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). The aim of this study was to explore how people determine their own recovery expectation during an episode of non-chronic NSLBP.

Subjects And Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of people with non-chronic NSLBP and low recovery expectations.

Multi-faceted case management: reducing compensation costs of musculoskeletal work injuries in Australia.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether a multi-faceted model of management of work related musculoskeletal disorders reduced compensation claim costs and days of compensation for injured workers.

Methods: An intervention including early reporting, employee centred case management and removal of barriers to return to work was instituted in 16 selected companies with a combined remuneration over $337 million. Outcomes were evaluated by an administrative dataset from the Victorian WorkCover Authority database.

Systematic review of the ability of recovery expectations to predict outcomes in non-chronic non-specific low back pain.

Objective: The aim of the current review was to determine the predictive strength of low recovery expectations for activity limitation outcomes in people with non-chronic NSLBP.

Methods: A systematic review of prognostic studies was performed. Included studies took baseline measures in the non-chronic phase of NSLBP, included at least one baseline measure of recovery expectation, defined as a prediction or judgement made by the person with NSLBP regarding any aspect of prognosis, and studied a sample with at least 75% of participants with NSLBP.