Articles

This page lists all practical and feature articles available on RTWMatters. From top ten tips, how to guides and case studies, through to webinar recordings and video interviews with industry experts.

Click the ‘Topics’ button below to drill down into all articles and research updates on your topic of interest.

Click the ‘Quick Guides’ button for practical bit sized guides that give you a sound basic knowledge base.

‘How I explain common conditions to my patients’ — messages from a chiropractor

contributorLauren Finestone

Rob Beaven, chiropractor, blogger and host of The back pain podcast, tells us how he explains...

‘Pain Factory’ exposes chronic pain care — and The Conversation picks up the baton

contributorRTWMatters team

Two articles in The Conversation pick up on revelations in the recent Four Corners episode on...

Webinar recording — Rethinking modern pain treatment

contributorBen Sheat

Ben Sheat, General Manager, Professional Services and Partnerships at Reality Health, looks at...

‘Even the lone ranger had Tonto’ — the unintended consequences of pain self-management

contributorLauren Finestone

Dr Karen Rodham, Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology at the University of Chichester, cautions...

Self-management of ongoing pain — ideal but still elusive

contributorLauren Finestone

By combining psychology-based skills with traditional pain management approaches healthcare...

From pain to possibility — the role of resilience in long-term pain management

contributorLauren Finestone

Some science-backed, practical things you can do to help people you work with ‘bounce forward’...

The vicious cycle of pain and anxiety — and how to tame the anxious wolf

contributorLauren Finestone

Practical evidence-based tips for dealing with pain-related anxiety, or helping someone else...

EAST-ern medicine — how behavioural science can help people self-manage their health and wellbeing

contributorLauren Finestone

A guide about what drives our behaviour can help people living with long-term conditions and...

A new guide to help primary care practitioners treat people with low back pain

contributorLauren Finestone

There's a new guide for primary care practitioners who work with people with low back pain.

Managing musculoskeletal conditions at work (Part 2) — 6 steps to a job change

contributorLauren Finestone

For some people with back pain or other musculoskeletal conditions, self-management may mean...

Managing musculoskeletal conditions at work (Part 3) — your legal rights and responsibilities

contributorLauren Finestone

A legal expert talks about rights and responsibilities at work if someone has musculoskeletal...

Managing musculoskeletal conditions at work (Part 1) — breaking the boom and bust cycle

contributorLauren Finestone

A musculoskeletal physiotherapist talks about what pain is, ‘boom and bust behaviour’, activity...

From dictator to facilitator — reframing the role of therapists in patient care

contributorLauren Finestone

We’ve been discussing the role of physiotherapy in self-management for decades – how much...

Pain sites — the best self-management podcasts and websites

contributorLauren Finestone

We’ve created a list of the best evidence-based websites and podcasts to help people with...

New clinical care standard for low back pain — a story of hope

contributorLauren Finestone

The new Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard aims to make sure patients with this common...

Telerehabilitation for spine pain in the lockdown era — not the same, but better

contributorLauren Finestone

Telerehabilitation on pain and disability in patients with spine pain achieved more improvement...

Top ten tips for better living with less pain

contributorRTWMatters team

Practical advice for people who experience persistent pain, based on the work of musculoskeletal...

Introducing cognitive functional therapy

contributorRTWMatters team

By creating a therapeutic "pain story," proponents of cognitive functional therapy claim the...

Our brains aren't computers, which matters for RTW

contributorGabrielle Lis

An individual's response to pain is unique to them and changes over time, so giving people the...

Pain has a new meaning

contributorGabrielle Lis

A change to the definition of pain offered by a key international organisation could change...

Webinar Recording: How PAIN can be the key to successful RTW

contributorPam Garton, Abilita Services

This webinar discusses how gains can be made by understanding the complexity of factors that...

Webinar Recording: PTSD & Chronic Pain, Dr / Patient Communication

contributorKerrie Shepherd

In this webinar, Kerrie Shepherd, will present the learnings from the IASP Milan World Pain...

Case study: everyone has a role to play

contributorStefanie Garber

Employers and supervisors are key components of the return to work process. Without their...

Work and osteoarthritis of the knee

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

A research based look at the evidence on work contribution to knee osteoarthritis

Work and shoulder problems

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

The connection between work and shoulder problems

Keeping a lid on opiates

contributorStefanie Garber

While opiates are valuable for treating severe pain, doctors need to exercise more caution...

Neck pain and work

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

The age-old question: Does work cause spinal problems?

The good news about neck pain

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Does neck pain worsen or improve with age?

OK computer: the basics of office ergonomics

contributorSean Gleeson

If you spend your working week perched in front of your computer, it's vital that you educate...

Fact sheet: Plantar fasciitis

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Painful inflammation of the heel and foot.

Acupuncture explained

contributorGabrielle Lis

Researchers now know how tiny, drug-free needles kill pain. This briefing paper covers what...

Employees not coping with pain

contributorTom Barton

Understanding how distress interferes with recovery is the key to addressing difficult RTW cases.

Recovery from spinal surgery

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Spine surgeons who've had spinal surgery provide the know-how for this briefing paper on...

Shouldering on

contributorGabrielle Lis

A fact sheet about shoulder pain, including workplace contributions and solutions

Want to be a back pain superhero?

contributorGabrielle Lis

This comprehensive guide to helping workers with back pain will have you donning lycra in no time...

Only know the bare bones about arthritis?

contributorGabrielle Lis

Flesh out your arthritis knowledge with a to-the-point briefing paper...