Articles: low-back-pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
A fitness programme for patients with chronic low back pain: 2-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial.
The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effect of a supervised fitness programme on patients with chronic low back pain. The design of the study was a single blind randomised controlled trial with follow-up, by postal questionnaire, 2 years after intervention. The Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index was used as the outcome measure to assess daily activity affected by back pain. ⋯ Between group comparisons demonstrated a statistically significant difference in disability scores between the treatment and control group (mean difference 5.8, 95% confidence interval 0.3, 11.4 P < 0.04). This study supports the current trend towards a more active treatment approach to low back pain. We have demonstrated clinical effectiveness of a fitness programme 2 years after treatment but this needs to be replicated in a larger study which should include a cost effectiveness analysis, further analysis of objective functional status and a placebo intervention group.
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A prospective evaluation of the incidence of low back pain in college athletes was undertaken. ⋯ Athletes with lower extremity acquired ligamentous laxity or overuse may be at risk for the development of noncontact low back pain during athletic competition. Female athletes with lower extremity involvement appeared to have a higher incidence of low back pain treatment compared with their male counterparts. Inflexibility of the lower extremities or leg length discrepancy were not associated with future low back pain treatment.
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A survey of a random sample of 1002 members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to determine their experience with low back pain. ⋯ The prevalence of low back pain in this police force is comparable with that in the general population, and driving a patrol car or wearing the duty belt does not appear to influence the prevalence rate in this population.
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Arch Phys Med Rehabil · Apr 1998
Back and hip extensor fatigability in chronic low back pain patients and controls.
To compare the lumbar paraspinal and gluteus maximus muscle fatigability between chronic low back pain patients and healthy controls by using electromyographic (EMG) spectral analysis during a maximal isometric endurance task. ⋯ The chronic low back pain patients were weaker and fatigued faster than the healthy controls. The EMG fatigue analysis results suggest that the gluteus maximus muscles are more fatigable in chronic low back pain patients than in healthy control subjects during a sustained back extension endurance test.
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There is little evidence about the management and course of chronic low back pain in primary care. ⋯ A variety of options for the treatment and referral of chronic low back pain patients is available for and used by GPs. Efforts should be made to establish which diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are the most effective for chronic low back pain.