Manuscript published by John Mayer and colleagues: Dagenais S, Hayflinger C, Mayer JM. Economic evaluation of an extended telehealth worksite exercise intervention to reduce lost work time from low back pain in career firefighters. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 2021(Jan 4) (online ahead of print).

Dagenais S, Hayflinger C, Mayer JM. Economic evaluation of an extended telehealth worksite exercise intervention to reduce lost work time from low back pain in career firefighters. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 2021(Jan 4) (online ahead of print).

 

Found here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33394268/

 

Abstract

Purpose Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of lost work time (LWT) in firefighters and is related to poor muscle endurance. Although exercise can improve muscle endurance, it must be continued to sustain benefits, and it is unknown if it can reduce LWT. This study conducted an economic evaluation of an extended worksite exercise intervention in career firefighters. Methods A randomized controlled trial allocated 264 firefighters to telehealth with remote instruction (“telehealth”), direct exercise supervision (“direct”), or brief education (“control”). The telehealth and direct groups performed worksite exercises twice weekly for 12 months. Outcomes included quality adjusted life years, LWT from LBP (24-h shifts), costs of LWT from LBP, and net monetary benefits. Results A total of 216 firefighters were included in the economic analysis (telehealth n = 71, direct n = 75, control n = 70). Sixteen experienced LWT from LBP (telehealth n = 4, direct n = 4, control n = 8). The mean number of 24-h shifts lost from LBP were 0.05 (telehealth), 0.28 (direct), and 0.43 (control). Mean study intervention costs per participant were $1984 (telehealth), $5269 (direct), and $384 (control). Net monetary benefit was $3573 for telehealth vs. direct, – $1113 for telehealth vs. control, and – $4686 for direct vs. control. Conclusions Worksite exercise reduced LWT from LBP in firefighters. Telehealth was less costly and more effective at reducing LWT from LBP than direct exercise supervision. If the costs of telehealth were further reduced, a positive net monetary benefit might also be achieved when compared to no intervention. Clinical trial registration: (clinicaltrials.gov): NCT02362243.

Manuscript published by Foundation team: Mayer JM, Lane CL, Brady O, Chen H, Lu Y, Johnson BVB, Dagenais S. Comparison of supervised and telehealth delivery of worksite exercise for prevention of low back pain in firefighters: a cluster randomized trial. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2020 Aug 10.

Found here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32796259/

Objective: This study assessed worksite exercise delivered by on-site supervision (supervised) or telehealth to reduce lost work time (LWT) related to low back pain (LBP) in firefighters. Methods: A cluster randomized controlled trial assigned 264 career firefighters to supervised (n = 86) or telehealth (n = 95) back and core exercises 2X/week for 12 months, or control (n = 83). Results: 58.0% (153/264) of participants reported LBP and 7.6% (20/264) reported LWT related to LBP (control n = 10, supervised n = 5, telehealth n = 5). Participants in the control group experienced 1.15 times as many hours of LWT as the supervised group, and 5.51 times as many hours of LWT as the telehealth group. Conclusions: Worksite exercise, delivered by on-site supervision or telehealth, can reduce LWT related to LBP in career firefighters.

August 11, 2020, San Diego, CA: Foundation partners with West Coast Sports Institute to serve as site for clinical trial on COVID-19

US Spine & Sport Foundation (aka The Vert Mooney Research Foundation), in partnership with West Coast Sports Institute (Santa Clara, CA), has been selected to serve as a site for a multi-site clinical trial on COVID-19. The clinical trial, which is sponsored by Kaleido Biosciences, Inc (Bedford, MA), will test the safety and effects of a food product in adults with mild-moderate COVID-19. Chris Chung, MD of West Coast Sports Institute will serve as Site Principal Investigator and John M. Mayer, DC, PhD, FACSM, Scientific Officer of the Foundation, will serve as Lead Coordinator for this site. As the Foundation expands its research partnerships, this trial provides an opportunity to help find solutions for those affected by the pandemic.

Manuscript published by Foundation team: Matheson LN, Verna JL, Mayer JM. Development and validation of a method to screen for co-morbid depression by non-behavioral health practitioners treating musculoskeletal pain. Work, 2020;6(3) (accepted).

Objectives: To demonstrate the efficacy and validity of a method employed by non-behavioral health practitioners to screen for and appropriately triage musculoskeletal pain patients who also are experiencing depressive illness. Methods: As part of a previously-published psychometric research study conducted in a community-based musculoskeletal pain rehabilitation program, a method was developed for nonbehavioral health practitioners to screen for and appropriately triage patients for co-morbid depressive illness, thus providing the current opportunity to examine the effects of depressive illness on work outcomes. This paper describes the screening method and its application in an observational study of the impact of depressive illness on work outcomes. Results: Among 156 consecutive patients who were presenting with musculoskeletal pain disorders to an outpatient rehabilitation program, 22.3% also were identified to have co-morbid clinical depression.  The screening process allowed all patients to continue in the rehabilitation program.  Those who were already receiving behavioral health care were encouraged to inform care providers of their participation in the program.  Those who were not receiving behavioral health care were successfully triaged to care outside of the clinic.  Depressive illness was found to affect success in the program, confirming the validity of the screening process for outpatient rehabilitation program participants experiencing chronic pain. Conclusions: A simple and effective depression screening process that triages patients without interruption of musculoskeletal treatment can be employed by nonbehavioral health practitioners.  Because return to work outcomes were found to be negatively affected by depressive illness, this approach has the potential to improve overall program efficacy.

Manuscript published by Foundation team: Johnson BVB, Mayer JM. Evaluating nutrient intake of career firefighters compared to military dietary reference intakes. Nutrients, 2020;12(1876). doi:10.3390/nu12061876.

Found here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7353453/

 

Manuscript published by Foundation team: Johnson BVB, Mayer JM. Preliminary development of a tactical athlete nutrition score. Journal of Kinesiology and Wellness, 2020;9(10):6-17.

Found here: https://www.wskw.org/jkw/index.php/jkw/article/view/65

Manuscript published by Foundation team: Verna JL, Matheson LN, Scherer S, Mayer JM. Validity of the Multidimensional Task Ability Profile. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 2019;29(4):822-31.

Found here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31201594/

 

Manuscript published by Foundation team: Enix D, Mayer JM. Sacroiliac joint hypermobility biomechanics and what it means for healthcare providers and patients. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 2019 Aug;11 Suppl 1:S32-S39. doi: 10.1002/pmrj.12176. Epub 2019 Jul 19.

Found here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31025539/

 

Manuscript published by Foundation team: Lane CL, Hardwick D, Janus TP, Chen H, Lu Y, Mayer JM. Comparison of the firefighter Candidate Physical Ability Test to weight lifting exercises using electromyography. Work, 2019;62:459-67.

Found here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30909261/

KUSI Segment Features FEMA-funded Firefighter Wellness Initiative with Charity Lane and John Mayer

On Wednesday February 12, 2020, KUSI hosted a live television segment featuring our FEMA-funded firefighter wellness initiative with Charity Lane and John Mayer. A link to the segment is found here:

 

https://www.kusi.com/fema-funded-firefighter-wellness-initiative-in-san-diego/