Return to work for patients with low back pain: two case studies

Dismal return to work rates and mounting disability costs in the chronic low back pain (LBP) population imply the need for innovative re-employment strategies. The supported employment approach utilizes a vocational specialist under close physician supervision. It is more proactive, less biased, and more specialized than the more traditional case management approach used by many insurance companies. Supported employment has been used extensively at our institution in the brain injured population and we have recently begun exploring its use in LBP patients. Herein, we describe the successful use of supported employment in two individuals with chronic disabling LBP.