Effects of Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Courses on Work Ability

NCT ID: NCT06749509

Last Updated: 2025-02-12

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
• Total Enrollment: 480 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-01-13
• Study Completion Date: 2026-12-31

Brief Summary

The goal of this observational study is to learn about the effects of two different musculoskeletal rehabilitation programs in working-age people with musculoskeletal disorders. The main question it aims to answer is:

Do musculoskeletal rehabilitation programs A or B improve work ability in people with musculoskeletal disorders?

Participants starting in rehabilitation programs A and B will answer survey questions about their work ability and related factors three times: when starting, immediately after the rehabilitation ends, and 4 months after ending the rehabilitation. Participants in study group C will answer the same questions during the same time period.

Researchers will compare participants in rehabilitation programs A and B to participants in group C, who have musculoskeletal disorders but will not participate in rehabilitation programs. The comparison is done to see if there are differences in the changes in work ability and related factors, such as pain or quality of life.

Conditions

Musculoskeletal Diseases or Conditions; Musculoskeletal Disorders

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Face-to-face musculoskeletal rehabilitation (A)

Participation in a face-to-face rehabilitation course organized by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) for those with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) (A)

Face-to-face musculoskeletal rehabilitation

Intervention Type: OTHER

Kela's rehabilitation course for those with MSD includes two 5-day periods and one 3-day period of face-to-face rehabilitation, which are carried out in a Finnish rehabilitation center over a 9-month period and implemented by a multidisciplinary team of rehabilitation experts. The rehabilitation course is group-based and provided free of charge. The 9-month rehabilitation period also includes calls to the participants before and after rehabilitation. The course is intended for persons over the age of 18 with diagnosed MSD and difficulties coping with work or studies. The course provides support, tools, and coaching to help manage daily life and work with MSD. Self-rehabilitation is an important component of the program. Individual goals based on the GAS method are set, evaluated, and adjusted during the rehabilitation. A medical statement is required when applying for the rehabilitation course.

Musculoskeletal telerehabilitation (B)

Participation in a telerehabilitation course organized by Kela for those with MSD (B)

Musculoskeletal telerehabilitation

Intervention Type: OTHER

Kela´s MSD telerehabilitation course is arranged entirely as telerehabilitation, and it includes videoconferencing, online rehabilitation, and group-based rehabilitation days implemented by a multidisciplinary team of rehabilitation experts. Participation does not require particular IT skills, but appropriate equipment (e.g., mobile phone, laptop, tablet computer) is needed. The rehabilitation course is free of charge, and the total duration, including the calls before and after rehabilitation, is approximately 7 months. The course is intended for persons over the age of 18 with diagnosed MSD and difficulties coping with work or studies. The course provides support, tools, and coaching to help manage daily life and work with MSD. Self-rehabilitation is an important component of the program. Individual goals based on the GAS method are set, evaluated, and adjusted during the rehabilitation. A physiotherapist's recommendation is required when applying for the telerehabilitation course

Controls (C)

Persons with MSD who had contacted their occupational health care because of musculoskeletal symptoms, and will not participate in Kela's musculoskeletal rehabilitation course during the study period

Controls

Intervention Type: OTHER

The control participants have an MSD diagnosis and musculoskeletal symptoms. Based on an occupational physiotherapist's brief evaluation they are eligible to apply for Kela's musculoskeletal rehabilitation (the interventions below). By them own choice, however, they will not participate in these rehabilitation programs in the near future. The controls are recruited via two occupational health care producers in the private sector.

Interventions

Face-to-face musculoskeletal rehabilitation

Kela's rehabilitation course for those with MSD includes two 5-day periods and one 3-day period of face-to-face rehabilitation, which are carried out in a Finnish rehabilitation center over a 9-month period and implemented by a multidisciplinary team of rehabilitation experts. The rehabilitation course is group-based and provided free of charge. The 9-month rehabilitation period also includes calls to the participants before and after rehabilitation. The course is intended for persons over the age of 18 with diagnosed MSD and difficulties coping with work or studies. The course provides support, tools, and coaching to help manage daily life and work with MSD. Self-rehabilitation is an important component of the program. Individual goals based on the GAS method are set, evaluated, and adjusted during the rehabilitation. A medical statement is required when applying for the rehabilitation course.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Musculoskeletal telerehabilitation

Kela´s MSD telerehabilitation course is arranged entirely as telerehabilitation, and it includes videoconferencing, online rehabilitation, and group-based rehabilitation days implemented by a multidisciplinary team of rehabilitation experts. Participation does not require particular IT skills, but appropriate equipment (e.g., mobile phone, laptop, tablet computer) is needed. The rehabilitation course is free of charge, and the total duration, including the calls before and after rehabilitation, is approximately 7 months. The course is intended for persons over the age of 18 with diagnosed MSD and difficulties coping with work or studies. The course provides support, tools, and coaching to help manage daily life and work with MSD. Self-rehabilitation is an important component of the program. Individual goals based on the GAS method are set, evaluated, and adjusted during the rehabilitation. A physiotherapist's recommendation is required when applying for the telerehabilitation course

Intervention Type: OTHER

Controls

The control participants have an MSD diagnosis and musculoskeletal symptoms. Based on an occupational physiotherapist's brief evaluation they are eligible to apply for Kela's musculoskeletal rehabilitation (the interventions below). By them own choice, however, they will not participate in these rehabilitation programs in the near future. The controls are recruited via two occupational health care producers in the private sector.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Groups 1 ja 2:

• diagnosed musculoskeletal disorder
• 18 years or older
• in employment, returning to work, studying, or receives rehabilitation subsidy
• participating in either of the following:

• Kela's face-to-face musculoskeletal rehabilitation (A)
• Kela's musculoskeletal telerehabilitation (B)
• willingness to participate in the study

Group 3 (Controls):

• diagnosed musculoskeletal disorder
• 18 years or older
• in employment, returning to work, studying, or receives rehabilitation subsidy
• musculoskeletal symptoms have lasted at least 3 months and the person has participated in physiotherapy or self-rehabilitation without satisfactory results
• willingness to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria

Group 3 (Controls):

• Current rehabilitation needs are related to post-treatment care or post-discharge rehabilitation.
• acute or untreated substance use disorder
• participating in or apply for Kela's musculoskeletal rehabilitation services (A or B) during the next few months

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Social Insurance Institution, Finland

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

The Social Insurance Institution of Finland

Helsinki, , Finland

Countries

Finland

Other Identifiers

KELA_4822_2024

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id