Article

The application of the margin of manoeuvre (MM) concept in work
rehabilitation is new. It allows for variations in both health status and work
demands, and the interaction between the two, to be taken into account. The
objective of this exploratory study was to document the relationship between the
presence of an MM in the workplace and the return to work (RTW), after a
long-term absence. METHODS: This study used the data collected during an earlier
study that sought to identify the dimensions and indicators of the MM. The data
were analysed on three levels, and the convergences and divergences in the MM
indicators and dimensions in relation to the RTW were grouped accordingly.
RESULTS: Eleven workers and five clinicians participated in this study. The
results support the proposition that the presence of a sufficient MM in the
workplace is associated with RTW of individuals at the end of a rehabilitation
programme despite a long-term absence (n = 6), and conversely, that its absence
would appear to be associated with a non-return to work (n = 4). CONCLUSIONS: A
better understanding of this concept will help further the development of a tool
to assist clinicians in their task of assessing a worker's capacity to return to
a given job.

Langue : ANGLAIS