Journal of occupational rehabilitation
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Measurement of exercise capacity is essential in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain (CLBP). However, the conventional Astrand bicycle test is not feasible in patients with a very poor aerobic capacity. Therefore the Astrand bicycles test for non-specific CLBP patients based on lean body mass (LBM) was developed as an alternative. The aim of this study was to evaluate reliability and validity of the LBM-based Astrand test. ⋯ The present study shows that the LBM-based Astrand test is a reliable, valid, and feasible method for patients with non-specific CLBP. However, a substantial amount of variation should be taken into account in patients when interpreting the test results clinically.
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The primary objective of this research was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a questionnaire designed to assess perceive injustice associated with injury. ⋯ The findings of these two studies support the construct validity of the IEQ and suggest that this measure might be a useful complement to psychosocial assessment of individuals with persistent pain conditions. Discussion addresses the processes through which perceived injustice might impact on disability and rehabilitation outcomes.
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Vocational outcomes following group CBT programmes for patients with chronic pain are scarcely reported within the literature, despite their importance as measures of function. This study reports vocational, physical and psychological outcomes following a group CBT programme for patients suffering chronic pain. The study aimed to examine the vocational situation of chronic pain patients who completed a group CBT programme, using a scale known as the vocational continuum. The scale was developed to measure changes in RTW intention and work status, in an effort to reconceptualise vocational outcomes for this population with respect to the RTW process. ⋯ The study demonstrates improvements across physical and psychological measures post-CBT, indicating that participants benefited from reduced levels of pain-related distress and disability. Although retrospective, the study also suggests improvements were made across vocational outcomes. By doing so, the study adds to scant literature reporting on vocational outcomes of group CBT programmes for patients with chronic pain and offers a new scale for measuring and interpreting vocational outcomes for this population.