Objective: Musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries consume considerable resources in personal suffering, medical care, work absenteeism, and compensation benefits. Our aim was to determine specific clinical and behavioral factors that prognostically influence return to work following musculoskeletal work related injuries.
Methods: A longitudinal cohort study was conducted on 148 randomly selected workers who had not returned to work in 3 months following musculoskeletal soft tissue injury. The cohort was identified from the files of the Workers' Compensation Board of Ontario, Canada. The workers were interviewed and assessed at 3, 9, 15, and 21 months after injury. The WHO Classification of Impairment, Disabilities and Handicap was used as the conceptual framework. The analysis employed a proportional hazards regression model with allowance for time dependent covariates.
Results: The rate of return to work for men was 1.5 times that for women, and 20% less for every 10 year increase in age. Controlling for sex and age, psychological distress and functional disability were associated with a slower rate of return to work. The rate of return to work for workers who were provided with modified jobs was 2 times higher than for those with no such accommodation in employment.
Conclusion: The negative effect of psychological distress and functional disability on return to work rates must be considered in the design and delivery of rehabilitation programming for workers with musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries. The employer's provision of a "modified job" is important in the prevention of continued disability.