Addressing Chronic Joint Pain in the Workplace
Millions of people suffer from chronic joint pain. Some have chronic knee pain, others have chronic hip pain, and still others have chronic low back pain. This can impede their ability to do their job in a sufficient manner and may even lead them to miss days at work due to the pain. The good news is that help is on the horizon, and it may be found in a new workplace chronic joint pain program called Joint Pain Advice (JPA).
JPA was created to be used as a tool for corporations, so they could help their employees who suffer from chronic joint pain find some relief. This as well encourages employees in addressing their chronic joint pain while in their workplace. The program includes health and lifestyle information that is given to adults in the workplace. The program was put to the test to see whether or not it would help people in the workplace, and the results were shared in the March 2021 issue of the journal Musculoskeletal Care (1).
There were 20 organizations that took part in the study, with nearly 500 participants who received the JPA program information. To provide the information, there is one advisor who is trained from each company, and that is the person who assesses the pain, their musculoskeletal health and function, and receives information about how many days per week the person was physically active for at least 30 minutes.
The JPA program provides participants with strategies they can use to help lessen their chronic joint pain in the workplace. They are given information about living a healthier lifestyle, how to cope with pain, how to set goals, and more. Over the course of the six-month program they are reviewed three times, and during that meeting, the health messages are reinforced.
The results of the study showed that when people were given this information in the workplace and followed it, there was significant improvement. Those who participated in it report that they were highly satisfied with the program, activity levels among participants improved, and employee absenteeism was reduced.
Considering employee absenteeism was reduced among employees, it may be a good idea for more organizations to consider implementing the JPA program. Not only did it help employees reduce their chronic pain, but that will lead to improving overall life satisfaction, and make for happier and more productive people in the workplace. Because some thinks that that addressing chronic joint pain while in a workplace could mean their job. This program can be used in all sizes of businesses and can be administered by a health or non-health professional.
Source:
- Musculoskeletal Care. Delivering NICE Joint Pain Advice in the workplace. March 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33650771/
