Exercise and Advice for Low-Back Pain
As published in
Journal Watch General Medicine (July 10, 2007),
exercise and advice for low-back pain provide small
but statistically significant benefits.
Often back exercises and advice for pain management
are highly recommended to those suffering with
low-back pain. Researchers from Australia and New
Zealand tested whether these interventions had any
effect on back pain levels and function at 6 week
and 12 month intervals. In this study, 259 adults
with low back pain for 6–12 weeks in duration; one
third having leg pain, took part in the study.
The study population was divided into groups; those
receiving sham advice (empathy but no pain
management advice), exercises alone, sham ultrasound
and heat therapy, appropriate back advice with no
exercises and finally the combined therapies of
advice and exercises. Those receiving combined
therapies of exercises and advice had decreased pain
levels and increased function at both 6 weeks and 12
months.
The bottom line in low-back pain management is to
seek care that offers appropriate medical advice as
well as evidenced-based exercises.
Journal Watch,
07/12/2007
Pengel LHM et al. Physiotherapist-directed exercise,
advice, or both for subacute low back pain: A
randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 2007 Jun 5;
146:787-96.
- Donna Schneider, BS, CPT, CEAS, CES
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