Physiotherapists, rehabilitation professionals and other health practitioners treating people with work-related health problems (i.e. health problems that impact workability or are caused by work)...

Phone triage is an effective gateway to early intervention, securing cost and recovery benefits via a broad-spectrum approach, with support services accessible to workers regardless of work causation.

A ground-breaking report on Australian income support systems shows why everyone from life insurance companies to the average Aussie taxpayer stands to benefit from a more enlightened approach to...

Workers have (sometimes valid) fears of re-injury upon return to work. How can employers and health providers create an environment in which it feels safe to return?

Tracking wellbeing is not only possible, it helps with RTW and financial performance. Here is a resource to get you started.

People in a team where bullying occurs are more likely to have long periods of time off work, even if they are not the victims.

Motivational interviewing promotes better RTW results, especially for people who lose or leave their job after workplace injury.

Researchers from Canada sought to summarise the research on interventions for depression in the workplace.

Researchers in the Netherlands claim that a positive employer / employee relationship has more impact than functional capacity on RTW and RTW effort sufficiency, a measure of employer and employee...

Understanding the factors that influence return to work assists in effective rehabilitation.

An ecological study using web based screening

A small but significant proportion of people with back pain go on to develop long-term problems.

Researchers suggest shifting from a straightforward evaluation of capacity and duties to more personal factors such as the relationship between the employee and the employer.

Rsearchers investigated why claims for mental and behavioural disorders have overtaken those for musculoskeletal complaints

Researchers looking for factors associated with early RTW uncover the usual suspects, as well as a less-expected ally: the social butterfly!

Managers may be unfamiliar with evidence-based prevention and ergonomic practices

Musculoskeletal problems for hairdressers may be reduced if the risks are understood.

Spanish researchers sought to understand work ability amongst prison workers.

A review of self medication in physicians and medical students

The costs of a major health problem in developed nations

Professional musicians have high rates of musculoskeletal pain, but few studies have analysed the risks of work activities or the psychosocial work environment.

Multi-site pain is a common phenomenon among working-age people and it strongly increases work disability risk.

Back problems are commonly attributed to work and many in the community believe that heavy lifting contributes to back problems.

French researchers find a simple way to measure stress - using a visual scale.

This study sought to understand whether patients with bipolar disorder admitted to hospital had a greater level of disability than those who had not been.

Nurse managers who match their leadership style to the issue at hand see fewer short time absences than those who lack this skill.

Workers with cancer may have delayed referral to occupational health services

We need better approaches to teaching medical students about work, health and occupational medicine.

Might a therapeutic approach that focuses on increasing self-knowledge help shift long-term work disability and encourage recovery?

Exercise and surgery have long been the staple treatments for refractory knee pain - but is there a quicker (and less risky) fix?

A single question - "How do you feel you are recovering from your injury?” - may be as useful in assessing progress as numerous more complex questionnaires.

When musculoskeletal problems flare for a desk-bound office worker, they may need a stress check as much as they need an ergonomics check.

...And other influences on supervisor readiness to engage in workplace-based vocational rehabilitations

Employer attitudes influence RTW after a cancer diagnosis.

Disability is more likely if a patient worries about their illness.

Ergonomic keyboards can help reduce the effects of recurrent arm pain in office workers.

A randomized controlled trial from Sweden offers hope for chronic back pain sufferers.

Can employees' values improve their happiness, absence rates and health?

Canadian researchers have highlighted the lack of knowledge about the causes of abnormal and reduced sensations in the limbs of patients.

A study has shown promising signs of success for helping people with mental health issues join the workforce.

Injured workers may have a better RTW outcome if they undergo pain coping skills training before surgery.

Researchers have developed an effective treatment for the vexing condition of Fibromyalgia through a detailed and prolonged exercise regimen.

A Dutch study has shown that adherence to guidelines by physicians can help lead to earlier return to work outcomes.

A new study highlights the mains causes for return to work delays after an injury on the road.

Researchers have found spinal manipulative therapy yields small improvements in chronic low back pain, but have questioned the practice's cost-effectiveness.

New research shows patient anxiety and distress about a lower back complaint significantly reduces the chance of a successful return to work outcome.

A Swedish study has shown that what doctors and employers will permit on medical certificates has changed over recent decades.

A survey of rehabilitation and return to work managers in Queensland has led to calls for greater professional development through mentoring and supervision.

A study has raised doubts about whether the new edition of the American Medical Association guides for the evaluation of impairment are an improvement on existing practice.

A Swedish study has highlighted the link between lacklustre organisational environments workplace and employee absenteeism.

A UK study has concluded that regular yoga can improve workplace wellbeing and reduce employee stress.

A Dutch study has produced a simple, efficient means for assessing the probable duration of low back pain.

A major study from the Netherlands shows productivity can be improved by helping workers improve their lifestyles.

A University of Wollongong survey shows employees with access to flexible working hours are in better shape than those working to a rigid roster.

Flexible sick-leave policies can reduce sickness absence.

A Danish study debunks the myth that managers are often more stressed than employees.

Positive workplace environments are necessary for workplace health programs to be successful.

Poor management often leads to higher levels of employee stress and sickness.

Hands-off senior managers overestimate the safety and health of their workplace compared to industry standards. RTW professionals should use facts to remove rose-coloured glasses...

The evidence says you should improve workplace culture, clearly define roles and put better support mechanisms in place for workers who perform emotionally demanding labour.

Who is more pessimistic about the impact of cancer on working life: cancer survivors or employers? How does this affect return to work prospects?

Reducing repetitive work is not the only option to consider when attempting to accommodate arm pain in the workplace.

Danish researchers find that management approaches and levels of employee decision-making latitude exert considerable influence on sick leave. So who should you try and influence?

A European study of an integrated care program for workers with long term back problems shows a return of $26 for every $1 invested.

The UK's treating practitioners say that work is beneficial, but how do they actually behave when making recommendations about back problems?

When dealing with complex or ambiguous medical problems, only half of treating practitioners come to the same conclusions about RTW.

Do pre-employment medical examinations reduce sick leave? Are they value for money?

Different RTW players have different objectives. Research suggests that this knowledge can help you reduce paperwork. Whaaat? Read on!

Individuals with disabilities are more likely to engage in risky health behaviours like smoking and drinking alcohol.

Early contact with injured workers is good for RTW, right? Well, that depends! It's not so much what you do as how you do it.

Believing that you can cope with whatever life brings you has a positive impact on pain symptoms - and there are ways of assessing coping confidence at work.

Workers who have the option to work from home are 1.5 times less likely to take sick leave than those who must be in the office.

Neck pain commonly follows a persistent or recurrent course. Between 60% to 80% of workers who advise a sore neck at some point report they have a sore neck a year later. Workers who exercise do...

A broad and comprehensive approach to exploring return to work issues is provided by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF).

The US demonstrates how overtreating back pain causes more pain.

Who falls in the anti-collaboration chasm when doctors and insurers have different ideas about what 'work ability' involves?

Teamwork is an art and a science. Learn to nurture it with style!

Shoulder problems are common. Having a standard management system in place can streamline return to work.

Neck pain is a common condition in workers, and psychosocial factors influence outcomes.

A person's beliefs about back problems influence how they engage with treatment, so providing the right information is vital.

Researchers have developed a questionnaire to help identify when perceptions of injustice may be jeopardising RTW.

Collaboration between mental health and employment agencies assists return to work, but how do we foster collaboration?

Canadian researchers conclude that employees have the goods to make participatory ergonomics a success.

Disability prevention researchers benefit from collaboration and communication in an innovative Canadian program

Research suggests that stress claims aren't as big a mystery as employers tend to think...

Chronic pain is a notoriously obstinate barrier to RTW. Is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy the card we need to play?

A Canadian study explores the relationship between neck pain and lost time claims.

Case Study NSW: How do changes to a compensation system effect whiplash recovery outcomes?

A public health campaign in Scotland has improved people's understanding and beliefs about back problems.

Job satisfaction improves mental health. Task variety, colleagues, and general working conditions improve overall job satisfaction.

Chronic pain is challenging to manage. Dr Wyatt describes a hotel worker's persistent, disabling case of back pain - and the treatment changes that made all the difference.

Long term claimants commonly describe a system that is frustrating, does not consider their needs, and misses out on treating them as an individual.

A look at barriers to return to work for those out of work for two years. Return to work after being off work for long periods is challenging and uncommon, understanding the barriers is vital.

A sense of control over the situation improves return to work outcomes.

Improved understanding about neck problems helps the patient get a better grasp on their condition, what can be done to improve the situation and what is likely to occur. It also helps treaters,...

The Task Force on Neck Pain was a major undertaking, seeking to review and summarise information on neck pain problems, treatments, and what can be done to improve neck pain outcomes. A decade on,...