Return to work following a multimodal work hardening: A cluster randomised trial

Background: Systematic reviews have confirmed the effectiveness of work-related rehabilitation programmes with significant cognitive-behavioural components for patients with musculoskeletal disorders. However, in Germany work-related rehabilitation for patients with musculoskeletal disorders is mainly focussed on evaluating functional capacity and on enhancing it by appropriate modules of exercise therapy while psychosocial work demands have been less considered in the rehabilitation process so far. The aim of our study was the efficacy evaluation of a multimodal work hardening following a cognitive-behavioural…