Therapeutic approaches to fibromyalgia in the Netherlands: A comparison between 1998 and 2005

Rationale: In this study, information was gathered from five disciplines on their usual management methods for fibromyalgia (FM) in order to asses whether treatment regimens have changed in the Netherlands during a period of 6 years. In addition, insight was gained into the therapeutic motives of the professionals. Method: A questionnaire was...

Medico-legal reasoning in disability assessment: A focus group and validation study

Background. Decisions on disability pensions are based, among others, on medical reports. The way these medical assessments are performed is largely unclear. The aim of the study was to determine which grounds are used by social insurance physicians (SIPs) in these assessments and to determine if the identification of these grounds can help...

Robot-mediated Active Rehabilitation (ACRE): A user trial

ACRE is a robotic training device for rehabilitation of the upper limbs. ACRE stimulates patients to train their affected arm more frequently and repetitively, via so called game based therapy. A prototype of ACRE (ACRE2) was tested in a user trial with patients who had recently suffered a stroke. Therapists concluded that the ACRE can be useful...

Robot-mediated ACtive REhabilitation (ACRE2) for the hemiplegic upper limb after a stroke: A pilot study

Although scientific evidence shows that therapy improves movement recovery following a stroke, the duration of the reimbursed therapy available to patients is decreasing. To compensate for the reduction in personal therapy self-training procedures using robotic arms have been developed for hemiplegic patients. In this Dutch pilot study, the...

Vision-based control of the Manus using SIFT

The rehabilitation robot Manus is an assistive device for severely motor handicapped users. The executing of all day living tasks with the Manus, can be very complex and a vision-based controller can simplify this. The lack of existing vision-based controlled systems, is the poor reliability of the computer vision in unstructured environments....

Return to work: A comparison of two cognitive behavioural interventions in cases of work-related psychological complaints among the self-employed

We investigated the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and a combined intervention of workplace- and individual-focused techniques among self-employed people on sick leave owing to work-related psychological complaints (such as anxiety, depression, and burnout). Both interventions were based on CBT; however, one was conducted...

Economic evaluation of a multi-stage return to work program for workers on sick-leave due to low back pain

Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of a return to work (RTW) program for workers on sick-leave due to low back pain (LBP), comparing a workplace intervention implemented between 2 to 8 weeks of sick-leave with usual care, and a clinical intervention after 8 weeks of sick-leave with usual care. Design: Economic...

Working with a chronic disorder: The development of the Work and Handicap Questionnaire

The Work and Handicap Questionnaire (WHQ) was developed to improve the vocational perspectives of patients with a chronic disorder. The WHQ differs from similar instruments in its explicit linkage between disabilities in daily life and job demands. This is an important feature, which allows for the development of specific strategies to counter...

MANUS: A wheelchair-mounted rehabilitation robot

Rehabilitation robots are assistive devices designed for use by people with severe disability in order to gain independence in tasks of daily living. MANUS is a wheelchair-mounted general-purpose manipulator now in use with over 100 people in their homes in the Netherlands, in France and in other countries. MANUS has six main degrees of freedom,...

Evaluation of a sitting aid: The Back-Up

The effects of a portable back support, the Back-Up, were tested in 28 variables. Both subjective and objective physical load measures were recorded during sitting with and without Back-Up, most of them during VDU work. The main result was that the posture of the upper back and neck/head was improved by the Back-Up. However, the knee straps...

Vocational rehabilitation of young adults with a disability of one arm or hand

The paper presents a summary of a study of the vocational rehabilitation of young adults with a disability of one hand or arm. It demonstrates the importance of labor research in vocational rehabilitation. The success of vocational rehabilitation depends in large measure on the suitability of the job chosen and the adaptability of the workplace....