Occupational orthopaedics in this millennium

Treatment of musculoskeletal pain in the workplace by early return to work and prevention is the future of occupational orthopaedics. Patients who receive workers' compensation comprise 20% of the general orthopaedist's practice, 65% of a hand surgeon's practice, and 90% of the independent medical examiner's practice. To improve the treatment outcomes for patients who receive workers' compensation, orthopaedists in this millennium will need knowledge about how individual and job risk factors can combine to result in musculoskeletal pain in the workplace. This knowledge will promote the safe return of their patients to the workplace after injury. With the prediction that more than 50% of the workforce in the United States will have experienced an occupational injury or illness, it is important for orthopaedists who are treating patients with work-related injuries to understand how management of these workplace risk prevention programs will impact their patients and practice of orthopaedics. In this millennium, orthopaedists will need to know how to talk the language, interpret the information, and understand the benefits of early return to work and prevention of injuries in the workplace. The future will be about legislated prevention and healthcare in the workplace.