A prospective study evaluating early rehabilitation in preventing back pain chronicity in mine workers.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a prospective study.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the results of education and early rehabilitation in the prevention of back pain chronicity in coal mine workers.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

A new mine was established in central Queensland, Australia. Preventing chronicity is important in the treatment of back pain in the industrial setting, because back pain is often refractory to treatment. Back pain patients also constitute the majority of compensation claims.

METHODS

A back pain program was instituted that comprised work force education, early injury reporting, first aid at the mine, and changing workplace psychosocial perceptions. Management employees were actively involved. The time off work, number of claims per hundred workers, and costs per claim were compared with another mine in the area.

RESULTS

The median time to return to work was 10 days. In the study group the number of claims and costs per claim were significantly less (P < 0.01) as compared to the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

This was an easy to institute, inexpensive back pain program, which succeeded in preventing back pain chronicity in the studied group of mine workers, with no worker being off work for more than 60 days.