Low Back Pain
Low back pain (LBP) is among the most common reasons that patients seek healthcare, accounting for about 5% of all physician visits. Most episodes of LBP improve quickly, but many patients experience incomplete recovery and chronic pain. Chronic LBP imposes tremendous burden on patients due to persistent symptoms, reduced quality of life, dissatisfaction with care, and lost work. LBP is also the most common diagnosis for which opioid pain medication is prescribed.
Treatment
Numerous non-pharmacologic treatment options are available for chronic LBP, including physical therapy (PT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness. While each of these treatments has been shown to benefit patients with chronic LBP, there is presently little direction for providers on which treatments work best for which types of patients and what sequence of treatments may be optimal.
Recruitment and Procedure
This project will recruit patients with chronic LBP visiting a primary care provider.
We will use a sequential multiple randomization design to compare PT and CBT as first line treatments for these patients. After 8 weeks we will re-evaluate patients. Those who are responders to first line treatment will transition to self-management. Non-responsive patients will be re-randomized to a second line treatment of either switching treatments (e.g., those initially receiving PT switch to CBT and v.v.) or mindfulness. Additional follow-up assessments will occur over a 1-year period.
Study Organization
Click the link for a PDF of the People and Facilities involved in the study.
Interested in participating?
We are currently looking for volunteers that suffer from lower back pain.
Providers
Do you work with patients that have lower back pain?