Back on Track: Evaluation of an Occupational Reintegration Protocol for Employees With Musculoskeletal Disorders

Back on Track: Evaluation of a Computer-Assisted Occupational Reintegration Protocol for Sick-listed Employees With High Risk for Long-Term Sick Leave Due to Musculoskeletal Disorders

The objective of the Back on Track study is to evaluate a computer-assisted reintegration protocol for musculoskeletal disorders of a major occupational health service in the Netherlands on its (cost-)effectiveness and conduct a process evaluation. The computer-assisted reintegration protocol aims to reduce sick leave duration and sick-leave associated costs, with the intention to mitigate the impact of sick leave for both employee and employer. Furthermore, this study might provide valuable insights for the improvement of reintegration guidance for workers with musculoskeletal disorders in general.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: The computer-assisted reintegration protocol for musculoskeletal disorders

Detailed Description

The objective of the Back on Track study is to evaluate a computer-assisted reintegration protocol for musculoskeletal disorders of a major occupational health service in the Netherlands on its (cost-)effectiveness and conduct a process evaluation. This protocol is characterized by an evidence-based, early, intensive and multidisciplinary approach. A non-randomized controlled study will compare employees on sick leave due to musculoskeletal complaints who are at high risk of long-term sick leave and receive care based on the computer-assisted reintegration protocol (n = 70) with employees receiving usual care (n = 70). The primary outcome will be time until full return to work. Secondary outcomes will include time until partial return to work , full and partial return to work (yes/no), way of return to work (at the own job/company, with our without adjustments), work ability, work productivity, pain, self-reported health and health-related quality of life. Participants will be asked to complete questionnaires at baseline and after three, six, nine and 12 months. Furthermore, data will be obtained from the occupational health service's register. Alongside the effectiveness study, economic and process evaluations will be conducted.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 140

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Jantine Maarleveld; Phone Number: +31625684599; Email: j.maarleveld@amsterdamumc.nl

Study Locations

• Netherlands
  • Utrecht, Netherlands
    • Recruiting
    • Arbo Unie

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Employees on sick leave due to musculoskeletal complaints receiving return-to-work guidance by a major occupational health service in The Netherlands

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged 18-65 years
• Self-reported musculoskeletal complaints as primary reason for sick leave
• High risk of long-term sick leave

Exclusion Criteria:

• Musculoskeletal complaints due to pregnancy
• Retirement within one year
• Sick leave duration of >18 days

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Intervention: the computer-assisted reintegration protocol for musculoskeletal disorders; Employees on sick leave due to musculoskeletal complaints receiving return-to-work guidance according to the computer-assisted reintegration protocol	Other: The computer-assisted reintegration protocol for musculoskeletal disorders; The computer-assisted reintegration protocol for musculoskeletal disorders provides an operationalization of the NVAB-guidelines of 'Low Back Pain and Radicular Syndrome' (Luites et al., 2020) and 'Complaints of Arm, Neck and Shoulder' (Elders et al., 2014) and the Dutch Gatekeeper Act. It is designed for occupational health professionals that are involved in the reintegration process of employees on high risk for long term sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders. It starts from the third week of sick leave until the employee has returned, for a maximum of two years. The central themes of the protocol are an evidence-based, early, intensive and a multidisciplinary approach.
Control: usual care; Employees on sick leave due to musculoskeletal complaints receiving return-to-work guidance according to usual care.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Time until full RTW	The number of days from start sick leave until full RTW for at least 28 days.	Baseline (T0), after 3 months (T1), after 6 months (T2), after 9 months (T3), after 12 months (T4).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Time until partial return to work	The number of days from start sick leave until partly RTW.	Baseline (T0), after 3 months (T1), after 6 months (T2), after 9 months (T3), after 12 months (T4).
Full return to work	Whether a participant fully returned to work for at least 28 days at the end of follow-up period (yes/no).	Baseline (T0), after 3 months (T1), after 6 months (T2), after 9 months (T3), after 12 months (T4).
Partial return to work	Whether a participant partial returned to work at the end of follow-up period (yes/no).	Baseline (T0), after 3 months (T1), after 6 months (T2), after 9 months (T3), after 12 months (T4).
Way of returning to work	The way a participant returned to work (at the own job/company, with our without adjustments).	Baseline (T0), after 3 months (T1), after 6 months (T2), after 9 months (T3), after 12 months (T4).
Current work ability	Measured with the first question of the Work Ability Index (Tuomi et al., 1998)	Baseline (T0), after 3 months (T1), after 6 months (T2), after 9 months (T3), after 12 months (T4).
Presenteeism	Presenteeism will be assessed using adapted items based on the iMTA Productivity Costs Questionnaire (iPCQ) (Bouwmans et al., 2015).	Baseline (T0), after 3 months (T1), after 6 months (T2), after 9 months (T3), after 12 months (T4).
Pain	The average pain score in the past week measured with a Numeric Rating Score (Hawker et al., 2011)	Baseline (T0), after 3 months (T1), after 6 months (T2), after 9 months (T3), after 12 months (T4).
Self-reported health	Measured on a Visual Analogue Scale of the EQ-5D-5L (Herdman et al., 2011)	Baseline (T0), after 3 months (T1), after 6 months (T2), after 9 months (T3), after 12 months (T4).
Health-related quality of life	A combination of five domains (mobility, self-care, daily activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/gloom) measured with the EQ-5D-5L (Herdman et al., 2011)	Baseline (T0), after 3 months (T1), after 6 months (T2), after 9 months (T3), after 12 months (T4).

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc
• Collaborators: Arbo Unie
• Investigators: Study Chair: Han Anema, Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 29, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 21, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 26, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): August 28, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 28, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 26, 2026
• Last Verified: August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Musculoskeletal Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2025.0374

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No