Functional Restoration
Research has proven that people who have been experiencing pain for months or years do not gain long term benefits unless they learn specific ways to manage and understand their symptoms/condition.
Whilst it is common for episodes of back or neck pain to continue, or to return again at a later stage, individuals often have serious concerns that something is terribly wrong or not healing properly. They often do not understand why they have not found a permanent solution for a problem that regularly disrupts their lives.
Functional restoration programmes (FRP) are specially designed to help participants understand how to manage a chronic back or neck problem for the rest of their life whilst also improving their physical ability and achieving pain relief.
FRP components:
- Structured back education
- Cognitive-behavioral strategies
- Graded exercise – strengthening, stretching and aerobic
- Activity and functional pacing with goal setting
Aims of FRP:
- Reduce unhelpful beliefs associated with chronic back pain
- Increase physical activity
- Improve general fitness and function
- Encourage self management of symptoms
FRP can facilitate a managed return to work as well as invest in the employee’s long-term physical capability, enabling them to withstand the physical demands of their work better. With this in mind they are well equipped to manage any future musculoskeletal problems and so less likely to require sickness absence.