Functioning, Participation and Rehabilitation
Within the research line Functioning, Participation and Rehabilitation (FPR) our mission is to study and manage functioning and participation of individuals in their context throughout their lifespan by developing and evaluating strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis given that health(care), participation and wellbeing are crucial elements of resilient individuals and successful societies.
Research and impact
Understanding, maintaining and improving functioning, participation and well-being of individuals (given their individual and soci(et)al context is the focus of our research. If proven effective, findings are implemented in research and in daily practice through healthcare, research networks, the public domain of the (local) government and the living lab rehabilitation. The WHO’s framework of extended health and the International Classification of Functioning and Health serve as the main theoretical models to understand functioning and health in their context.
News and research stories
Ten years of building the rehabilitation care of tomorrow
Case studies
Showcasing the impact and societal relevance of the research within the Functioning, Participation and Rehabilitation research line.
Integration of Work-Related Care in clinical practice
Despite medical advances, a persistent gap remains between work participation rates for people with chronic conditions and the general population. This enduring disparity signals an urgent need for targeted support to enable healthy, sustained employment.
Technology as a weapon against antibiotic resistance
Dr. Chris Arts is leading a major international study into alternatives to antibiotics, technological solutions and increased awareness of antimicrobial resistance.
Personal health information made accessible, complete, neutral and comprehensible
The 360°CHILDoc dashboard presents a complete picture of a child’s health situation at a glance. The tool can be accessed by healthcare professionals, parents and young people themselves.
“It’s about how people deal with their pain”
Chronic pain affects two million people in the Netherlands. Most of them suffer from chronic musculoskeletal pain, with back pain being the most common complaint. These are serious numbers and yet the impact of chronic pain is somewhat overlooked.
200,000 people sitting on the sidelines in Limburg
In Limburg, about 200,000 peopleare sitting on the sidelines of the labour market. “Given the labour shortage, this is not good for society and individuals. Working provides structure and social contact, which benefits health.”
Digital application for people living with rheumatoid arthritis
Enabling a higher degree of self-management, better control of your disease and a deeper understanding of your symptoms – that, in essence, is the goal of the digital application Myra (My RA) for people living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
FPR Projects
OPZuid 2021 - 2027
The OPZuid 2021-2027 programme focuses on leveraging regional innovation to create a profound societal impact. A prime example of this is the ongoing INTELLECTUALS project, which is actively involved in developing next-generation solutions for osteoarthritis (OA).
As the demand for reliable, high-throughput in vitro models grows, the INTELLECTUALS consortium, bringing together Chiron, University of Twente, TNO, Medace, Hy2Care, and CAPHRI/Maastricht University, is developing an innovative cartilage-on-a-chip platform.
This groundbreaking technology aims to transform how new OA therapies are studied, tested, and developed by:
- Accelerating repair strategies: enabling accurate, efficient, and cost-effective evaluation of treatments.
- Personalising medicine: culturing patient-derived cells on the chip, paving the way for tailored, cost-effective OA therapies.
Read more about OPZuid 2021 - 2027
2BActive: Effectiveness of an outpatient multimodal rehabilitation program for adolescents with chronic musculoskeletal pain
The 2B-Active study is a scientific investigation into the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a multidisciplinary, outpatient rehabilitation treatment for adolescents (aged approximately 12–18) with chronic pain.
The study focused specifically on adolescents whose pain and/or fatigue led to major restrictions in daily life (such as school absenteeism).
Read more about 2BActive
4Limburg
A key challenge for Limburg lies in increasing the participation of disadvantaged citizens, job seekers, and early school leavers in society and the economy. Too many residents of Limburg remain on the sidelines. In addition, it is vital to work on the sustainable employability of employees, particularly to strengthen the position of SMEs. Stepping up collaboration within a Quadruple Helix framework—comprising education, government, industry, and citizens—is essential to realising the innovations needed to achieve a structural breakthrough in these areas.
Read more about 4Limburg
Balansmeter: Early detection and treatment of workers at risk for sickness absence. Substantiating benefits, costs and long-term effects of a proven effective strategy
Long-term sickness absence and work disability have major socioeconomic consequences, in addition to significant impacts on the individual. This project investigates a preventive strategy aimed at preventing long-term absenteeism among employees in the Netherlands. This strategy consists of a combination of screening and early intervention. The effectiveness of this strategy has already been proven in the short and medium term. Consequently, it is expected that this strategy will also have a beneficial effect in the long term. The core of this project involves mapping the long-term effects on labour participation and health, as well as the overall cost-effectiveness of this strategy. Because the (health) gains, costs, and benefits of this strategy differ among the stakeholders involved (employees, employers, occupational health professionals, insurers, and the government), mapping the needs and expectations of these parties is a key component of this project.
Read more about Balansmeter
PoSTuRE: Patient-specific Scoliosis TREatment
PoSTuRE (Patient-Specific Scoliosis TREatment) is a pioneering surgical approach developed at Maastricht UMC+ and Brightlands. It uses flexible, ultra-strong plastic cables instead of rigid metal rods and screws to tie vertebrae together. This semi-rigid technique allows for natural spinal growth in children and reduces hardware failure in adults
Read more about PoSTuRE
SpA-NET: Registry for spondyloarthritis in the Netherlands
SpA-Net is a patient registry for spondyloarthritis (SpA) in the Netherlands. It was established to gain more insight into the disease course and the optimal treatment for the patient.
During hospital visits, information is collected on, for example, medication use, disease activity, functioning, and quality of life. To this end, a user-friendly electronic patient record (EPR) system has been developed. All collected information is directly visible to practitioners, and a summary of it is available to patients. This increases patient involvement in their own treatment.
SpA-Net also displays mirror information (feedback data). This enables practitioners to compare their own performance on several key outcomes with other hospitals and, if necessary, implement improvements. Furthermore, a direct link to Lareb has been created within SpA-Net for reporting adverse drug reactions. This can be done by practitioners as well as by the patients themselves.
Read more about SpA-NET
SyCaP: A synthetic non-degrading, non-drug releasing cartilage implant
SyCaP (Synthetic Cartilage imPlant) is an innovative, "champignon"-shaped mini-prosthesis developed locally by Avalanche Medical, an early-stage spin-off from Maastricht UMC+, TU Eindhoven, and DSM. Designed as a joint-preserving alternative, it targets focal cartilage defects to postpone the need for full knee replacements
Read more about SyCaP
PRosPERoS-II Interreg Vlaanderen-Nederland
PRosPERoS develops personalized bio-active bone implants for functional recovery.
PRosPERoS-II, a continuation of the highly successful PRosPERoS-I project, is a large research project led by Maastricht UMC+ in the field of 'smart,' 3D-printed implants for orthopedic applications is continued. The research focuses on the development of biologically active implants that can be customized to the needs of each individual patient. If successful, this will lead to faster rehabilitation and a reduction in the need for additional surgeries. As a result, PRosPERoS-II makes a significant societal contribution to healthy aging.
Read more about PRosPERoS-II Interreg Vlaanderen-Nederland
