Objectifying Performance Assessments and Personalized Rehabilitation Trajectories to Improve Return to Work in Patients With Persistent Spinal Pain Syndrome Type II: a Randomized Controlled Trial

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are conducting a multicenter randomized controlled trial to assess whether a personalized biopsychosocial rehabilitation program focused on return to work improves work ability in patients with Persistent Spinal Pain Syndrome Type II (PSPS-T2) after spinal cord stimulation (SCS) implantation. The study also aims to evaluate if this program differs from usual care in terms of functional capacity, work participation, pain relief, quality of life, physical activity, sleep quality, anxiety and depression, self-management skills, and healthcare use. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive usual care following SCS implantation as practiced in Belgian hospitals. The other group will undergo an individualized 14-week rehabilitation program starting 6 weeks after SCS implantation. This personalized program includes treatment sessions led by trained physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and psychologists. Therapists receive expert training in the various therapy methods used. Participants will undergo assessments at several time points: at baseline, immediately before and after the intervention, then 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention. These evaluations will measure changes in work ability, functional capacity, pain intensity, work status, quality of life, physical activity, sleep quality, fear of movement, self-management skills, anxiety, depression, and healthcare use. The total duration of participation spans over a year, allowing researchers to observe both short- and long-term outcomes.

Return to Work for Persistent Spinal Pain Syndrome Type II Patients