Long-term effectiveness of bone-setting, light exercise therapy, and physiotherapy for prolonged back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Chiropractic manipulation and strenuous exercise therapy have been shown effective in the treatment of nonspecific back pain. Bone-setting, the predecessor of modern manual therapies, still survives in some parts of Finland and was compared with a light exercise therapy and non-manipulative, pragmatic physiotherapy in a year-long randomized controlled trial on patients with long-term back pain.

METHODS:

One hundred fourteen ambulatory patients of working age with back pain for 7 weeks or more were randomly assigned to the therapies, which were offered in up to 10 sessions during a 6-week treatment period. The outcome was measured by the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire. Sick-leaves and visits to health centers were recorded for 1 year before and after the therapy.

RESULTS:

The Oswestry disability scores improved most in the bone-setting group (P =.02, Kruskall-Wallis test). Visits to health centers for back pain were reduced only in the physiotherapy group (P =.01, Wilcoxon test). Sick-leaves were not significantly different between groups. A secondary analysis based on the use of additional therapies after the intervention showed a possible subgroup with an enhanced effect from bone-setting.

CONCLUSIONS:

Traditional bone-setting seemed more effective than exercise or physiotherapy on back pain and disability, even 1 year after therapy.

• Authors: Heikki M Hemmilä, Sirkka M Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi, Sinikka Levoska, Pekka Puska
• Journal: Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics (J Manipulative Physiol Ther) Vol. 25 Issue 2 Pg. 99-104 (Feb 2002) ISSN: 0161-4754 [Print] United States
• PMID: 11896377 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Adult
• Chronic Disease
• Exercise Therapy (methods)
• Humans
• Low Back Pain (diagnosis, therapy)
• Manipulation, Chiropractic (methods)
• Medicine, Traditional
• Pain Measurement
• Physical Therapy Modalities (methods)
• Statistics, Nonparametric
• Treatment Outcome