Abstract
Objectives
To investigate the effect of integrating an individualized, evidence-based low back pain comprehensive education package on low back pain treatment outcomes.
Design
Single-blind, controlled clinical study using the alternate allocation of patients.
Setting
Outpatient clinic.
Subjects
In total, 54 participants with chronic low back pain (46.75โยฑโ11.11 years, 80% females) were randomized to intervention (nโ=โ27) or a control group (nโ=โ27).
Intervention
The intervention group received additional four one-hour low back pain-related education sessions to eight 45 minutesstandard physical therapy sessions over 4 weeks.
Outcome measures
Assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 months. Outcome measures included pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale), knowledge (Low Back Pain Knowledge Questionnaire), attitude (the Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire), disability (the Oswestry Disability Index), mental health symptoms (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, DASS-21 scale), and fear-avoidance (Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire).
Results
The intervention group showed significantly lower pain intensity ((4 weeks (3.58โยฑโ1.50 vs. 5.54โยฑโ1.92), 3 months (3.21โยฑโ1.74 vs. 5.69โยฑโ2.51)), higher knowledge ((4 weeks (21.67โยฑโ2.12 vs. 11.62โยฑโ3.47), three months (22.08โยฑโ3.40 vs. 12.23โยฑโ3.24)), lower negative attitudes ((4 weeks (99.29โยฑโ11.02 vs. 134.31โยฑโ12.97), 3 months (102.92โยฑโ15.58 vs. 132.42โยฑโ17.79)), lower disability ((4 weeks (26.30โยฑโ11.37 vs. 45.14โยฑโ18.67), 3 months (22.83โยฑโ16.06 vs. 44.13โยฑโ15.02)), lower stress score ((4 weeks (3.54โยฑโ3.01 vs. 8.81โยฑโ5.19), 3 months (3.21โยฑโ3.22 vs. 7.21โยฑโ4.36)), lower anxiety ((4 weeks (2.63โยฑโ3.16 vs. 6.42โยฑโ4.75), three months (2.63โยฑโ3.80 vs. 5.73โยฑโ4.44)), lower depression ((4 weeks (2.42โยฑโ2.15 vs. 6.42โยฑโ3.68), three months (2.63โยฑโ4.18 vs. 7.08โยฑโ4.41)), and lower fear-avoidance ((4 weeks (13.88โยฑโ12.32 vs. 50.88โยฑโ23.25), three months (15.50โยฑโ16.75 vs. 54.65โยฑโ31.81)).
Conclusion
Integrating low back pain comprehensive education into standard physical therapy might optimize the treatment outcomes of low back pain.
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References
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