Work-hardening - a necessary part of multimodal treatment for patients with chronic low-back pain

Objective: Up to now there is a lack in data concerning work-related functional capacities of patients with back pain and healthy subjects. Aim of the study is the development and analyses of 4 work-related movement patterns. Methods: In order to establish a standardized assessment we developed 4 work-related movement patterns and analysed them in their relation to spine flexibility and in their difference between healthy subjects without back pain (n = 92) and patients with low back pain (n = 72). Results: Performance in all 4 work-related movements demonstrated most significant differences between patients and normals. In both groups performance was not relied to measures of spine flexibility and in part not relied to anthropometric variables (age, sex, body weight, height). Complex movements with static muscular posture demonstrated the highest difference between both groups. Conclusions: Work-related movements as complex tasks may be very suitable for giving information about the amount of work-related function in patients with low back pain. Furthermore, the assessment can pilot the training process. Further development and optimizing work-related diagnostic procedures is a main task in further research.