Short-term outcomes of a back school program for chronic low back pain

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2001 Aug;82(8):1099-105. doi: 10.1053/apmr.2001.23899.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the short-term outcome of a back school program for patients suffering from chronic, nonspecific low back pain (LBP).

Design: Quasi-experimental cohort study with a waiting list control group.

Setting: Dutch rehabilitation department.

Participants: Experimental group (n = 14) participating in the back school program and a waiting list control group (n = 10).

Intervention: A back school program aimed to achieve optimal functional capacity and functional health status by teaching participants to react appropriately to overload signals.

Main outcome measures: Functional capacity assessed by the RAND-36 instrument; functional health status assessed by the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire; and static and dynamic lifting capacity, endurance, and range of motion assessed by objective measures.

Results: The experimental group significantly improved in functional capacity and functional health status, with a large power, likely attributable to adequate reactions to signals of overload. Significant differences existed between the 2 groups, with large powers for the main outcomes.

Conclusion: The back school program improved the functional capacity and functional health status of patients with chronic, nonspecific LBP.

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living*
  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Chronic Disease
  • Female
  • Health Status*
  • Humans
  • Lifting*
  • Low Back Pain / rehabilitation*
  • Male
  • Netherlands
  • Patient Education as Topic*
  • Random Allocation
  • Social Support
  • Surveys and Questionnaires