Aims: An increasing number of people interact with professionals within healthcare and social insurance offices during periods of sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders. Knowledge of clients' perceptions of such contact is scarce. This study analysed clients' perceptions of theircontact with professionals within healthcare and social insurance offices. Methods: A cohort study was conducted in the municipality of Linköping, Sweden. Participants were all citizens who in 1985 were aged 25-34 years and had at least one new sick-leave spell due to back, neck, or shoulder diagnoses exceeding 28 days (n = 213). In 1996, 11 years after inclusion, a questionnaire about perception of contact withprofessionals, self-perceived health, and mental health was administered. Register data on sickness absence and disability pension from 1985-96 were also obtained. Results: Factor analysis indicated the existence of three dimensions of contact with professionals: supportive treatment, distant treatment, and empowering treatment. Women perceived their contact with both social insurance officers and healthcare professionals as more supportive than did the men. Respondents with disability pensions perceived their contact with social insurance officers as more supportive and empowering than persons without disability pensions. Respondents with mental health problems perceived their contact with both types ofprofessionals as more distant. Respondents with neck/shoulder diagnoses perceived their contact with healthcare professionals as more empowering than respondents with low back diagnoses. Conclusion: There was a relationship between clients' perceptions of contact withprofessionals and the sex, disability pension, diagnosis, and mental health of clients.