Can a workplace dialogue impact the perceived influence of neck and/or backpain on everyday activities and performance at work? A secondary analysis from the randomized controlled trial WorkUp.

BACKGROUND: Neck- and back- pain are highly prevalent conditions in Sweden and world-wide. Such pain often has consequences on everyday activities, work- and personal life. One consequence is work absence and decreased productivity at work. Adding a workplace dialogue to structured physiotherapy was recently found to lead to increased workability, i.e., not being on sick leave during the 12th month of follow up.

AIM: The aim of the study was to explore the effect of a workplace dialogue intervention on secondary outcomes: perceived impact of neck and/or back pain on everyday activities and on performance at work, and total days of sick leave during 12 month follow up. A further aim was to examine associations between perceived influence of pain, and sick leave.

METHOD: Patients with neck and/or back pain in primary care in the south of Sweden were randomized into structured physiotherapy alone (n = 206) or with the addition of a workplace dialogue (n = 146). Data regarding the pain's influence on everyday activities and on performance at work were collected using weekly text messages for 52 weeks. The pattern of change in perceived influence of neck and/or back pain on everyday activities and performance at work was compared between the groups with linear mixed models. Cross sectional correlations between perceived influence of neck and/or back pain on everyday activities and performance at work, and days of sick leave, during the preceding four weeks at months 3, 6, 9 and 12 were examined.

RESULT: We found no differences in change of perceived influence of neck and/or back pain on daily activities or perceived performance at work, or total days of sick leave during the 12 months of follow up between the groups with structured physiotherapy with or without a workplace dialogue. There was a weak to moderate positive correlation between days of sick leave and perceived influence of neck and/or back pain on everyday activities and performance at work (rho 0.28-0.47).

CONCLUSION: A workplace dialogue was not found to affect the perceived impact of neck and/or back pain on everyday activities and performance at work.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID:  NCT02609750 .