Oosterhuis et al identified factors associated with work participation by patients with sciatica. These can help to identify a patient who may benefit from more aggressive management. The authors are from the University of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute in The Netherlands.
Patient selection: sciatica
Factors predictive of return to work:
(1) younger age
(2) better general health
(3) less low back pain or sciatica less bothersome
(4) better physical function
(5) negative straight leg raising (SLR) test
(6) better pain coping
(7) less depression and mental stress
(8) less fear of movement
(9) low physical work load
(10) physician expecting surgery to be beneficial (correctable cause)
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