Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Future Research Directions for Preventing and Treating Occupational Musculoskeletal Disorders

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Handbook of Musculoskeletal Pain and Disability Disorders in the Workplace

Part of the book series: Handbooks in Health, Work, and Disability ((SHHDW))

Abstract

As discussed in the first chapter of this handbook, musculoskeletal disorders are the single largest category of work-related illnesses in industrialized countries today. They are also the most common cause of short- and long-term occupational disability (Melhorn, Lazarovic, & Roehl, 2005). Moreover, they are a great economic burden to society, with estimates of approximately $100 billion spent annually in the USA on healthcare utilization costs and concomitant work productivity losses associated with just two of the most commonly cited occupational musculoskeletal disorders alone—neck and back pain conditions (Research and Markets, 2009). Subsequent chapters provided comprehensive overviews of the various types of prevalent occupational musculoskeletal disorders: back pain disorders, cervical pain disorders, upper and lower extremity disorders, chronic widespread pain disorders, and whiplash injuries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 259.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Adams, L. L., Gatchel, R. J., Robinson, R. C., Polatin, P. P., Gajraj, N., Deschner, M., et al. (2004). Development of a self-report screening instrument for assessing potential opioid medication misuse in chronic pain patients. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 27(5), 440–459.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ballantyne, J. C., & Mao, J. (2003). Opioid therapy for chronic pain. New England Journal of Medicine, 349, 1943–1953.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bernacki, E. J., Yuspeh, L., Lavin, R., & Tao, X. G. (2012). Increases in the use and cost of opioids to treat acute and chronic pain in injured workers, 1999 to 2009. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 54(2), 216–223.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bruehl, S., Apkarian, A. V., Ballantyne, J. C., Berger, A., Borsook, D., Chen, W. G., et al. (2013). Personalized medicine and opioid analgesic prescribing for chronic pain: Opportunities and challenges. The Journal of Pain, 14(2), 103–113. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2012.10.016.

  • Buelow, A. K., Haggard, R., & Gatchel, R. J. (2009). Additional validation of the Pain Medication Questionnaire in a heterogeneous sample of chronic pain patients. Pain Practice, 9, 428–434.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chou, R., & Shekelle, P. (2010). Will this patient develop persistent disabling low back pain? JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 303(13), 1295–1302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dagenais, S., & Haldeman, S. (2012). Commentary: Laboring to understand the economic impact of spinal disorders. The Spine Journal, 12(12), 1119–1121. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2012.11.023.

  • Dersh, J., Mayer, T. G., Gatchel, R. J., Polatin, P. B., & Theodore, B. (2008). Prescription opioid dependence is associated with poorer outcomes in disabling spinal disorders. Spine, 33, 2218–2227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dowling, L. S., Gatchel, R. J., Adams, L. L., Stowell, A. W., & Bernstein, D. (2007). An evaluation of the predictive validity of the Pain Medication Questionnaire with a heterogeneous group of patients with chronic pain. Journal of Opioid Management, 3, 257–266.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Engel, G. L. (1977). The need for a new medical model: A challenge for biomedicine. Science, 196(4286), 129–136.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gatchel, R. J. (2004). Comorbidity of chronic mental and physical health disorders: The biopsychosocial perspective. American Psychologist, 59, 792–805.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gatchel, R. J. (2005). Clinical essentials of pain management. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Gatchel, R. J. (Ed.). (2006). Compendium of outcome instruments (2nd ed.). LeGrange, IL: North American Spine Society.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gatchel, R. J. (2010). Biopsychosocial screening before surgical intervention or opioid therapy for patients with chronic pain. In D. C. Turk & R. Melzack (Eds.), Handbook of pain assessment (3rd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gatchel, R. J., Kishino, N. D., & Strezak, A. (2006). The importance of outcome assessment in orthopaedics: An overview. In J. M. Spivak & P. J. Connolly (Eds.), Orthopaedic knowledge update: Spine (3rd ed., pp. 95–102). Chicago: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gatchel, R. J., & Okifuji, A. (2006). Evidence-based scientific data documenting the treatment and cost-effectiveness of comprehensive pain programs for chronic nonmalignant pain [Journal Peer Reviewed Journal]. The Journal of Pain, 7(11), 779–793. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2006.08.005.

  • Gatchel, R. J., Peng, Y., Peters, M. L., Fuchs, P. N., & Turk, D. C. (2007). The biopsychosocial approach to chronic pain: Scientific advances and future directions. Psychological Bulletin, 133, 581–624.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gatchel, R. J., & Turk, D. C. (2008). Criticisms of the biopsychosocial model in spine care: Creating and then attacking a straw person. Spine, 33(25), 2831–2836.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hernandez, A. M., & Peterson, A. L. (2013). Work-related musculoskeletal disorders and pain. In R. J. Gatchel & I. Z. Schultz (Eds.), Handbook of occupational health and wellness. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmes, C. P., Gatchel, R. J., Adams, L. L., Stowell, A. W., Hatten, A., Noe, C., et al. (2006). An opioid screening instrument: Long-term evaluation of the utility of the Pain Medication Questionnaire. Pain Practice, 6(2), 74–88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Howard, K. J., Mayer, T. G., & Gatchel, R. J. (2012). Comparison of chronic occupational upper extremity vs. lumbar disorders for differential disability-related outcomes and prediction variables. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 54, 1002–1009.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science. (2011). Relieving pain in America: A blueprint for transforming prevention, care, education, and research (p. 5). Washington, DC: Institute of Medicine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kidner, C. L., Mayer, T. G., & Gatchel, R. J. (2009). Higher opioid doses predict poorer functional outcome in chronic disabling occupational musculoskeletal disorders. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery—American Volume, 91, 919–927.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kornick, C. A., Santiago-Palma, J., Moryl, N., Payne, R., & Obbens, E. A. (2003). Benefit-risk assessment of transdermal fentanyl for the treatment of chronic pain. Drug Safety: An International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Drug Experience, 26(13), 951–973.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Linton, S. J. (2005). Early interventions for “at risk” patients with spinal pain. In I. Z. Schultz & R. J. Gatchel (Eds.), Handbook of complex occupational disability claims: Early risk identification, intervention and prevention. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melhorn, J. M., & Kennedy, E. M. (2005). Musculoskeletal disorders, disability and return-to-work. In I. Z. Schultz & R. J. Gatchel (Eds.), Handbook of complex occupational disability claims: Early risk identification, intervention and prevention. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melhorn, J. M., Lazarovic, J., & Roehl, W. K. (2005). Do we have a disability epidemic? In I. Z. Schultz & R. J. Gatchel (Eds.), Handbook of complex occupational disability claims: Early risk identification, intervention and prevention. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Portenoy, R. K., & Savage, S. R. (1997). Clinical realities and economic considerations: Special therapeutic issues in intrathecal therapy—Tolerance and addiction. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 14(3 Suppl.), S27–S35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pulliam, C. B., Gatchel, R. J., & Robinson, R. C. (2003). Challenges to early prevention and intervention: Personal experiences with adherence [Journal Peer Reviewed Journal]. Clinical Journal of Pain, 19(2), 114–120. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00002508-200303000-00006.

  • Research and Markets. (2009). Back pain report 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2012, from http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/706585/back_pain_report_2008

  • Schofferman, J. (1993). Long-term use of opioid analgesics for the treatment of chronic pain of nonmalignant origin. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 8, 279–288.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schofield, D. J., Shrestha, R. N., Percival, R., Passey, M. E., Callander, E. J., & Kelly, S. J. (2012). The personal and national costs of early retirement because of spinal disorders: Impacts on income, taxes, and government support payments. The Spine Journal, 12(12), 1111–1118. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2012.09.036.

  • Schultz, I., & Gatchel, R. (Eds.). (2005). Handbook of complex occupational disability claims. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tao, X. G., Lavin, R. A., Yuspeh, L., & Bernacki, E. J. (2012). Impact of the combined use of opioids and surgical procedures on workers’ compensation cost among a cohort of injured workers in the state of Louisiana. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 54(12), 1513–1519.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Turk, D. C. (2002). Clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of treatment for patients with chronic pain. Clinical Journal of Pain, 18(6), 355–365.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Turk, D. C., Swanson, D. C., & Gatchel, R. J. (2008). Predicting opioid misuse by chronic pain patients: A systematic review and literature synthesis. Clinical Journal of Pain, 24, 487–508.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2003). National survey on drug use and health 2005. Retrieved from http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nhsda.htm#NHSDAinfo

  • Webster, B., Verma, S., & Gatchel, R. J. (2007). Relationship between early opioid prescribing for acute occupational low back pain and disability duration, medical costs, subsequent surgery and late opioid use. Spine, 32(19), 2127–2132.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weiner, B. K. (2008). The biopsychosocial model and spine care. Spine, 33(2), 219–223.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, A. R., & Gatchel, R. J. (2002). Occupational musculoskeletal pain and disability. In D. C. Turk & R. J. Gatchel (Eds.), Psychological approaches to pain management: A practitioner’s handbook (2nd ed., pp. 349–364). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Arlington, 501 North Nedderman Drive, 313 Life Science Building, Arlington, TX, 96019, USA

    Robert J. Gatchel Ph.D., A.B.P.P.

  2. Counselling Psychology Program, Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology and Special Education, University of British Columbia, 2125 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4

    Izabela Z. Schultz Ph.D., A.B.P.P.

Authors
  1. Robert J. Gatchel Ph.D., A.B.P.P.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Izabela Z. Schultz Ph.D., A.B.P.P.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert J. Gatchel Ph.D., A.B.P.P. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA

    Robert J. Gatchel

  2. Dept of Educational and Counseling Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Izabela Z. Schultz

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Gatchel, R.J., Schultz, I.Z. (2014). Future Research Directions for Preventing and Treating Occupational Musculoskeletal Disorders. In: Gatchel, R., Schultz, I. (eds) Handbook of Musculoskeletal Pain and Disability Disorders in the Workplace. Handbooks in Health, Work, and Disability. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0612-3_27

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation