Retrospective case series of clinical outcomes associated with chiropractic management for veterans with low back pain

Abstract Context: Back pain is common in adolescents. Participation in sports has been identified as a risk factor for the development of back pain in adolescents, but the influence of sports participation on treatment outcomes in adolescents has not been adequately examined. Objective: To examine the clinical outcomes of rehabilitation for adolescents with low back pain (LBP) and to evaluate the influence of sports participation on outcomes. Design: Observational study. Setting: Outpatient physical therapy clinics. Patients or Other Participants: Fifty-eight adolescents (age = 15.40 ± 1.44 years; 56.90% female) with LBP referred for treatment. Twenty-three patients (39.66%) had developed back pain from sports participation. Intervention(s): Patients completed the Modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaire and numeric pain rating before and after treatment. Treatment duration and content were at the clinician's discretion. Adolescents were categorized as sports participants if the onset of back pain was linked to organized sports. Additional data collected included diagnostic imaging before referral, clinical characteristics, and medical diagnosis. Main Outcome Measure(s): Baseline characteristics were compared based on sports participation. The influence of sports participation on outcomes was examined using a repeated-measures analysis of covariance with the Oswestry and pain scores as dependent variables. The number of sessions and duration of care were compared using t tests. Results: Many adolescents with LBP receiving outpatient physical therapy treatment were involved in sports and cited sports participation as a causative factor for their LBP. Some differences in baseline characteristics and clinical treatment outcomes were noted between sports participants and nonparticipants. Sports participants were more likely to undergo magnetic resonance imaging before referral (P = .013), attended more sessions (mean difference = 1.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.21, 2.59, P = .022) over a longer duration (mean difference = 12.44 days, 95% CI = 1.28, 23.10, P = .024), and experienced less improvement in disability (mean Oswestry difference = 6.66, 95% CI = 0.53, 12.78, P = .048) than nonparticipants. Overall, the pattern of clinical outcomes in this sample of adolescents with LBP was similar to that of adults with LBP. Conclusions: Adolescents with LBP due to sports participation received more treatment but experienced less improvement in disability than nonparticipants. This may indicate a worse prognosis for sports participants. Further research is required.

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The Theoretical Framework of the Clinical Pilates Exercise Method in Managing Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain: A Narrative Review

Biology ◽

10.3390/biology10111096 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 1096

Author(s):

Boon Chong Kwok ◽

Justin Xuan Li Lim ◽

Pui Wah Kong

Keyword(s):

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Clinical Outcomes ◽

Chronic Low Back Pain ◽

Early Stage ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Future Research ◽

Low Back ◽

Exercise Interventions ◽

Directional Preference

Exercise plays an important role in rehabilitating people with chronic low back pain. Aerobic exercise and resistance training are general exercise strategies to manage chronic low back pain, but these strategies require longer intervention period to achieve clinical outcomes in pain reduction and functional improvements. Directional preference is recognised as an important exercise strategy in managing low back pain. The Clinical Pilates exercise method leverages on the directional preference of an individual to achieve clinical outcomes faster. Clinical Pilates is a hybrid of two of the best exercise interventions for low back pain, which are general Pilates and the McKenzie method. Due to the scarcity of Clinical Pilates literature, a review of its theory and studies was undertaken to provide a structured guide to the technique in managing people with chronic low back pain. Hypothetical algorithms are developed to support translation into clinical practice and future research studies. These algorithms are useful in the management of complex cases involving multiple directional trauma. Although limited, current evidence suggests that the Clinical Pilates exercise method is safe and provides faster functional recovery in the early stage of rehabilitation and similar longer term outcomes as general exercises.

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