Bmc Musculoskel Dis
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Bmc Musculoskel Dis · Jan 2011
Multicenter StudyBack complaints in the elders (BACE); design of cohort studies in primary care: an international consortium.
Although back complaints are common among older people, limited information is available in the literature about the clinical course of back pain in older people and the identification of older persons at risk for the transition from acute back complaints to chronic back pain. The aim of this study is to assess the course of back complaints and identify prognostic factors for the transition from acute back complaints to chronic back complaints in older people who visit a primary health care physician. ⋯ This consortium is a collaboration between different research groups, aiming to provide insight into the course of back complaints in older people and to identify prognostic factors for the transition from acute back complaints to chronic back complaints in older persons. The BACE consortium allows to investigate differences between older people with back complaints and the health care systems in the different countries and to increase the statistical power by enabling meta-analyses using the individual patient data. Additional research groups worldwide are invited to join the BACE consortium.
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Bmc Musculoskel Dis · Jan 2011
Multicenter StudyClustering patients on the basis of their individual course of low back pain over a six month period.
Several researchers have searched for subgroups in the heterogeneous population of patients with non-specific low back pain (LBP). To date, subgroups have been identified based on psychological profiles and the variation of pain. ⋯ It is possible to define clinically meaningful clusters of patients based on their individual course of LBP over time. Future research should aim to reproduce these clusters in different populations, add further clinical variables to distinguish the clusters and test different treatment strategies for them.
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Bmc Musculoskel Dis · Jan 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialThe effect of continuous ultrasound on chronic low back pain: protocol of a randomized controlled trial.
Chronic non-specific low-back pain (LBP) is one of the most common and expensive musculoskeletal disorders in industrialized countries. Similar to other countries in the world, LBP is a common health and socioeconomic problem in Iran. One of the most widely used modalities in the field of physiotherapy for treating LBP is therapeutic ultrasound. Despite its common use, there is still inconclusive evidence to support its effectiveness in this group of patients. This randomised trial will evaluate the effectiveness of continuous ultrasound in addition to exercise therapy in patients with chronic LBP. ⋯ The results of this trial will help to provide some evidence regarding the use of continuous ultrasound in chronic LBP patients. This should lead to a more evidence-based approach to clinical decision making regarding the use of ultrasound for LBP.
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Bmc Musculoskel Dis · Jan 2011
Acute low back pain is marked by variability: An internet-based pilot study.
Pain variability in acute LBP has received limited study. The objectives of this pilot study were to characterize fluctuations in pain during acute LBP, to determine whether self-reported 'flares' of pain represent discrete periods of increased pain intensity, and to examine whether the frequency of flares was associated with back-related disability outcomes. ⋯ Acute LBP is characterized by variability. Patients with acute LBP report multiple distinct flares of pain, which correspond to discrete increases in pain intensity. A higher flare frequency is associated with worse disability outcomes.
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Bmc Musculoskel Dis · Jan 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialEfficacy of conservative treatment regimes for hip osteoarthritis--evaluation of the therapeutic exercise regime "Hip School": a protocol for a randomised, controlled trial.
Hip osteoarthritis (hip OA) is a disease with a major impact on both national economy and the patients themselves. Patients suffer from pain and functional impairment in activities of daily life which are associated with a decrease in quality of life. Conservative therapeutic interventions such as physical exercises aim at reducing pain and increasing function and health-related quality of life. However, there is only silver level evidence for efficacy of land-based physical exercise in the treatment of hip OA. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to determine whether the specific 12-week exercise regime "Hip School" can decrease bodily pain and improve physical function and life quality in subjects with hip osteoarthritis. ⋯ Results from this trial will contribute to the evidence regarding the effect of a hip-specific exercise regime on physical function, pain, and health-related quality of life in patients with hip osteoarthritis.