A multidisciplinary approach for patients with non-specific chronic low back pain: study protocol and preliminary findings

ABSTRACT

Non-specific chronic low back pain is a frequent cause for disability and a recurrent cause for medical consultation with high costs to public health. Although physiotherapy usually reduces disability and pain-related anxiety-depressive symptoms, many patients still report partial improvement and recurrent and disabling pain episodes. Therefore, a new approach to rehabilitate chronic low back pain that includes other modulating psychosocial factors is necessary. This article presents preliminary findings from the chronic low back pain study protocol (N= 71; Clinical Trials Reference NCT01993355) aimed to assess the effects on patients’ health-related quality of life of two complementary interventions to standard physiotherapy (n= 22); sophrology (n= 26) and cognitive-behavioral group intervention (n= 23). After 6 months, intervention groups showed no improvements in any of the variables assessed. Only the control group showed lower mean scores for self-perceived pain. Characteristics of the interventions (e.g. specific contents, abilities trained, intensive planning, group format, etc.) could explain these counterintuitive results. More research is needed to investigate the efficacy, efficiency and specific characteristics of multidisciplinary interventions that better address the needs of this population with chronic low back pain (AU)

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