Quality Reports

Functional Restoration Program (FRP)

What is the FRP?

  • The Functional Restoration Program (FRP) is for people with chronic pain. It is an intense 14-day group rehabilitation program.
  • The FRP has had over 100 sessions since the program started in 1998. Hundreds of people have completed the FRP.

The FRP helps people:

  • Who have experienced pain for more than a few months
  • Whose problem does not have a clear surgical cure
  • Whose pain limits their ability to work, play and/or perform day-to-day activities

The goal of the program is to help people:

  • Move better
  • Learn skills to deal with pain
  • Get back to a productive life and/or work
  • Cut down on the need for future treatment

Do people get better by doing the FRP?

  • Each person sets his or her own goals for the FRP. People set different goals, depending on their health and what is important to them.
  • In general, people improve their physical abilities and can do things with less pain (not more).

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  • Patients have less fear of getting hurt from activities
    • Overall, patients have less fear that they will get hurt by doing physical activities.

      The highest score possible on this survey is 66.

      We get the information on this graph from surveys. Patients fill out surveys at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP.

      75 patients filled out the survey between May 2008 and March 2009.

  • Patients feel less depressed
    • Overall, patients are less depressed after doing the FRP.

      A low score means less depression.

      A score higher than 19 for someone in chronic pain means they have depression.

      We get the information on this graph from surveys. Patients fill out surveys at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP.

      75 patients filled out the survey between May 2008 and March 2009.

  • Patients can walk longer and further
    • Overall, patients can walk longer and further after doing the FRP.

      Patients walk on a treadmill. They increase their speed and slope (like walking up a hill). This makes the intensity of walking go up.

      Patients walk on the treadmill at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP. That is where we get the information for this graph.

      75 patients walked on the treadmill between May 2008 and March 2009.

  • Patients can lift more weight
    • Overall, patients can lift more weight after doing the FRP.

      Patients lift a weight from the floor their waist. The patient repeats the exercise with heavier weights until it is no longer comfortable. We record the biggest number of pounds the patient can lift.

      Patients lift weight at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP. That is where we get the information for this graph.

      75 patients lifted weights between May 2008 and March 2009.

  • Patients are more flexible
    • Overall, patients are more flexible after doing the FRP.

      Patients stand and bend forward and backward at the waist. The staff measures how many degrees (how far) the patient can bend.

      Patients do the bending exercise at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP. That is where we get the information for this graph.

      75 patients did the bending exercises between May 2008 and March 2009.

  • Patients do things with less pain
    • Overall, patients do things with less pain after doing the FRP. A high score means less pain.

      We ask patients about how much pain they have had lately. We also ask them how much their pain gets in the way when they do things.

      We get the information on this graph from surveys. Patients fill out surveys at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP.

      75 patients filled out the survey between May 2008 and March 2009.

  • Patients have a better mental outlook
    • Overall, patients have a better mental outlook after doing the FRP.

      We ask patients how they are feeling mentally. For example, we ask them how often they feel sad, happy, and tired.

      We get the information on this graph from surveys. Patients fill out surveys at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP.

      In the general public the average score is 50. This means that half the people score higher and half score lower than 50.

      75 patients filled out the survey between May 2008 and March 2009.

  • Patients are less disabled
    • Overall, patients are less disabled after doing the FRP.

      We ask how disabled the patient feels when they do day-to-day things such as walking, sleeping, or social activities.

      We get the information on this graph from surveys. Patients fill out surveys at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP.

      This survey is just for patients with spine problems.

      75 patients filled out the survey between May 2008 and March 2009.

  • Patients can do more physical activities
    • Overall, patients can move around more easily after doing the FRP.

      We ask patients if they have problems doing things like walking, bending, or lifting.

      We get the information on this graph from surveys. Patients fill out surveys at the start of the FRP, at the end of the FRP and four weeks after the FRP.

      In the general public the average score is 50. This means that half the people score higher and half score lower than 50.

      75 patients filled out the survey between May 2008 and March 2009.

  • Patients go back to work
    • Overall, patients who want to, go back to work.

      We called the 177 patients who did the FRP from 2004 to 2008 and had a goal of returning to work.

      We asked these patients to find out if they were working.

      Not everyone in the FRP has a goal of going back to work.



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