Long-term sickness absence represents a major public health challenge with far-reaching consequences for both individuals and society. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are among the leading causes of sickness absence. Although mobile apps show promise for supporting self-management of MSDs, high-quality evidence remains limited, and outcomes related to work participation are rarely examined. This trial aims to evaluate whether an individually tailored, app-based self-management intervention (SmaRTWork), provided in addition to usual care, improves return-to-work compared with usual care alone among individuals on sick leave due to MSDs.

We will conduct a randomised controlled trial with two parallel arms: 1) SmaRTWork in addition to usual care and 2) usual care alone. Individuals 20–59 years old who have been sick-listed for

The trial is approved by the Committees for Clinical Trials of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (Ref. 563919). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences.

NCT07034040.