Open AccessTherapeutic Education and Physiotherapy in Low Back Pain Management
Author(s) -
Stilyana Romanova,
Kristin Grigorova,
Antoaneta Dimitrova
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
open access macedonian journal of medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.288
H-Index - 17
ISSN - 1857-9655
DOI - 10.3889/oamjms.2021.7414
Subject(s) - medicine , physical therapy , low back pain , oswestry disability index , lumbar , pain catastrophizing , manual therapy , back pain , feeling , physical medicine and rehabilitation , intervention (counseling) , psychological intervention , alternative medicine , nursing , chronic pain , surgery , psychology , social psychology , pathology
BACKGROUND: Low-back pain (LBP) is one of the most common musculoskeletal problems; it is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Therapeutic patient education is a method that enables health care professionals to pass on their knowledge and experience to patients so that they can participate consciously and actively in their recovery.AIM: The present study aims to examine the effect of therapeutic education (TE) combined with a specific physiotherapy (PT) approach in people with LBP.МАTERIALS AND METHODS: This was an experimental pre- and post-study design. The study involved 25 patients, mean age 43.08 ± 12 years, divided into two groups: experimental group (EG), with TE (n =18) and control group (CG), without TE (n = 7). The PT treatment frequency and duration were consistent between groups. The patients were monitored for one month, and the intervention under supervision – face-to-face and self-monitored home-based PT have been organized. The included outcome measures were Oswestry Disability Index, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, STarT Back Screening Tools, and the movement-induced pain in the lumbar spine.RESULTS: At the end of the study improved pain-free movements in the lumbar region, functionality, reduced catastrophizing was observed in both groups. There is a tendency for better results in the EG compared to the CG in terms of functionality and pain-free movement. The subjective feeling of the catastrophizing was reduced only in the EG below the cut-off score from 45.2 ± 7.7 to 33.2 ± 3.3 points.CONCLUSION: TE in combination with PT interventions improves functional abilities, decreases the pain during movements, and the subjective perception of kinesiophobia. The results suggest TE should be included in a LBP management approach.