Full Title: Conservative Treatment Approaches in Low Back Pain, IDD Observational Study…
Author: Smith PT-MCSP
Affiliation: University of Exeter
Type: Observational Study
Introduction: A prospective outcome study was conducted on patients with chronic low back pain due to degenerative disc disease, herniated nucleus pulposus and facet arthropathy. Between March 2003 and January of 2004, ten physicians in private practices across the United States, with a high volume of patients with spinal disorders, participated in this study. Specialties included Internal Medicine, Rheumatology, Neurology, Orthopedic, and Pain Management. Prior to entering the study, the patients were evaluated by the physician and diagnosed with a painful lumbar degenerative condition based on history and physical and appropriate imaging studies. Prior to each treatment, the patients completed an Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) questionnaire. The ODI scores range from 0-50. A change of more than 4 points is considered clinically meaningful. Each patient was treated for 25 min with decompression.