Workplace Based Rehabilitation for Low Back Disorders

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of back supports plus education upon recovery from a work-related low back disorder. The study tests the hypothesis: the use of back supports plus health education is not different from health education alone in promoting recovery from a work-related low back disorder in consideration of personal, health, and job factors. Significant improvements in physical health, neurogenic symptoms, back pain disability, and low back pain were observed over the twelve months of study follow-up. No statistically significant difference between the study groups was found with respect to these measures.

Detailed Description
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BACKGROUND Low back pain remains a common major source of morbidity and disability. Few studies consider the effectiveness of interventions for low back pain while simultaneously considering personal, health, and job characteristics. METHODS This is a randomized clinical trial in which 433 active employees with low back disorders were randomly assigned to one of two study groups: 1) back support plus education on back health; or 2) education on back health only. Demographic, health, medical, and job factors were recorded. Outcomes were evaluated over a twelve month period and included self-reported measures of back pain, back pain disability level, physical health, mental health, back pain recurrence and administrative measures. RESULTS Significant improvements in physical health, neurogenic symptoms, back pain disability, and low back pain were observed over time in both study groups. However, there was no significant difference between the study groups with respect to these outcome measures. The adjusted hazard ratio of recurrence rate was suggestive of an incremental protective effect due to back supports over education alone (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR]=0.711, 95% CI 0.50, 1.04, p=.085). There was also a marginal effect of back supports and education on decreasing low back pain over time (AHR=0.0015, p=0.091). CONCLUSIONS Back supports may have some value in promoting recovery from low back pain, but this effect is only observed in individuals who are actively employed in jobs with medium risk of low back disorders.

Official Title
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Workplace Based Rehabilitation for Low Back Disorders

Conditions
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Low Back Pain

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Back supports


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: work-related low back disorder, 18-64 years of age,active hourly worker, enrollment into study within eight weeks of diagnosis, signed informed consent Exclusion Criteria: no other concurrent work-related condition not pregnant

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 64 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Other
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Device: Back supports|nan|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Low back pain |  |  | 
| Back pain disability |  |  | 
| Neurogenic symptoms |  |  | 
| Physical health |  |  | 
| Mental health |  |  | 
| Low back pain repeated episodes |  |  | 
| Lost work time |  |  | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Low back pain, Industrial workers, Recurrent back pain, Back supports, Back health education, Rehabilitation