Models of Diagnosis and Rehabilitation in Musculoskeletal Pain-Related Occupational Disability

Musculoskeletal, pain-related occupational injuries are among the most common and disabling impairments in the working population and pose a formidable health care problem for industry. Annually, 2% of the national work force incurs industrialrelated back injuries, with approximately 1.4% of these resulting in a period of work absence (1). Despite the good prognosis for most episodes, musculoskeletal injuries consume considerable resources in medical care, absence from work, productivity losses and compensation benefits. Spitzer (1) found that about three-quarters of workinjured employees return to work in two to three weeks. Only about 7% had not returned by six months; however, these few accounted for about 75% of costs to the compensation system in lost hours, indemnities, and utilization of health services.