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A physical approach to the rehabilitation of patients disabled by chronic low back pain
Author(s) -
Edwards Brian C,
Zusman Max,
Hardcastle Philip,
Twomey Lance,
O'Sullivan Peter,
McLean Neil
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1992.tb139701.x
Subject(s) - rehabilitation , physical therapy , medicine , intervention (counseling) , low back pain , waiting list , physical medicine and rehabilitation , alternative medicine , nursing , surgery , pathology , transplantation
Objective: To report the outcome of a multidisciplinary physically based program to treat sufferers of chronic low back pain who had not responded to previous treatment. Design: Prospective intervention study. Setting: The treatment program was conducted at the private practice of Brian C Edwards and Associates Rehabilitation Centre. Patients: A total of 54 patients participated in the treatment program. All patients were medically referred. No specific exclusion criteria were used; however, all were not working and had not responded to previous treatment. Intervention: The rehabilitation program consisted of mobilising physiotherapy, isokinetic testing, physical reconditioning, work hardening and psychological testing. This was carried out for seven hours a day, five days a week for four weeks. Results: Of the 54 patients taking part in this trial 30 (55%) were successfully rehabilitated (returned to work) and remained so at a foliow‐up session one year later. Conclusion: While selection criteria for successful rehabilitation have not been established, the results do indicate that such physical rehabilitation programs have an important part to play in the rehabilitation of sufferers of chronic low back pain.