AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Armed with the knowledge
that low back pain is a prevalent affliction with a hefty price tag, a
major automotive company has taken a unique approach to alleviate back pain
among its employees.
The program is 10 times more effective and less costly than
conventional physical therapy at eliminating back pain and is expected to
translate into significant healthcare expense savings.
More than half (55%) of employees who received the intervention
eliminated their chronic back pain, compared to 0% of controls at program
completion. Intervention participants also experienced significant
reductions in disability, stress, and depressive symptoms, as well as
improvement in sleep. In comparison, conventional physical therapy produced
only five percent elimination of chronic back pain in a separate clinical
trial with a similar population.
These findings offer a glimmer of hope after a study published in the
Journal of the American Medical Association reported that, despite all the
money that has been spent by Americans on back and neck pain relief, pain
levels haven't improved.
In 2007, Chrysler LLC partnered with Health Alliance Plan (HAP), a
Detroit-based nonprofit health plan, and the Henry Ford Medical Group
(HFMG) provider network to pilot the "We've Got Your Back" program at
Chrysler's Auburn Hills headquarters. This holistic approach utilizes
complementary and alternative medicine in a group model in the convenience
of the workplace.
Using modalities such as group feedback, guided relaxation and somatic
movement reduction (teaching the brain to maintain control of the nerve and
muscle system and release over-contracted muscles), the program treats a
large number of individuals at one time while minimizing time missed from
work.
Chrysler recruited more than 200 employees meeting eligibility criteria
to participate in the pilot program. Employees were randomized to
intervention or untreated control groups and their health status was
measured at the start, middle and end of the five-month project period.
HAP and HFMG officials believe this innovative group model has great
potential for growth throughout Southeast Michigan workforces and beyond.
HAP has developed tools to allow for easy implementation, tailoring, and
adapting in any worksite setting.
As a result of the successful pilot, Chrysler will continue to offer
the program to its employees and will also pilot a separate program using
similar complementary and alternative medical techniques to reduce stress.
Other southeast Michigan companies have also jumped at the opportunity to
bring the program to their employees. The 17,000-employee Henry Ford Health
System launched an expanded version of the program in January 2008.
According to the authors of the JAMA study, the U.S. spent nearly $86
billion on treatment of back and neck problems in 2005, an increase of 65
percent from 1997, after adjusting for inflation. Individuals with spine
problems spent over $2,500 more on medical care in 2005 than those without
spine problems.
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TECHNOLOGIES