>Background Hospital workers are at high risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs), but outcomes following such injuries have not been well studied longitudinally.>Aims To ascertain functional recovery in hospital workers following incident WRMSDs and identify predictors of functional status.>Methods Cases (incident WRMSD) and matched referents from two hospitals were studied at baseline and at 2 year follow-up for health status [SF-12 physical component summary (PCS)], lost workdays, self-rated work effectiveness and work status change (job change or work cessation). Predictors included WRMSD and baseline demographics, socio-economic status (SES), job-related strain and effort–reward imbalance. Logistic regression analysis tested longitudinal predictors of adverse functional status.>Results The WRMSD-associated risk of poor (lowest quartile) PCS was attenuated from a baseline odds ratio (OR) of 5.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.5–7.5] to a follow-up OR of 1.5 (95% CI 1.0–2.3) and was reduced further in multivariate modelling (OR = 1.4; 95% CI 0.9–2.2). At follow-up, WRMSD status did not predict significantly increased likelihood of lost workdays, decreased effectiveness or work status change. In multivariate modelling, lowest quintile SES predicted poor PCS (OR = 2.0; 95% CI 1.0–4.0) and work status change (OR = 2.5; 95% CI 1.1–5.8). High combined baseline job strain/effort–reward imbalance predicted poor PCS (OR = 1.7; 95% CI 1.1–2.7) and reduced work effectiveness (OR = 2.6; 95% CI 1.6–4.2) at follow-up.>Conclusions Baseline functional deficits associated with incident WRMSDs were largely resolved by 2 year follow-up. Nonetheless, lower SES and higher combined job strain/effort–reward imbalance predicted adverse outcomes, controlling for WRMSDs.
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