Affiliations: Department of Occupational Therapy, University of the
Western Cape, Belville, South Africa | University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South
Africa
Note: [] Address for correspondence: M.S. Soeker, Department of
Occupational Therapy, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17,
Belville, 7535, South Africa. E-mail: ssoeker@yahoo.com
Abstract: This article is the second of two articles to be published in
WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation. The first
article (Volume 30) focused on the barriers and facilitators that people with
back injuries perceive and experience when returning to work after
rehabilitation. The current article explores the adaptation process that these
individuals experience when returning to their worker role. Qualitative
research methods were used in order to explore the research question.
Participants were selected by means of simple random sampling and the data were
collected by means of semi-structured focus groups. Some methods of adaptation
to the worker role after rehabilitation included: taking control of yourself,
developing competency in your worker role and being aware of and utilising your
own choice of medical intervention. These results proposed the development of a
conceptual model of adaptation that would aid Occupational Therapists in
assessing a client with a back injury.
