Yoga and Low Back Pain: No Fool's Tool
Authors: Douglas G. Chang, Stefan G. Kertesz
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2017)

Editorials18 July 2017Yoga and Low Back Pain: No Fool's ToolDouglas G. Chang, MD, PhD and Stefan G. Kertesz, MD, MScDouglas G. Chang, MD, PhDFrom University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California, and Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama.Search for more papers by this author and Stefan G. Kertesz, MD, MScFrom University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California, and Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M17-1263 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail About one fourth of U.S. adults report having low back pain (LBP) in the past 3 months. Most recover within 4 to 8 weeks; however, 25% to 80% have recurrence within a year. Typically, providers exhort patients to remain active and prescribe medications and physical therapy. These and other LBP treatment options have mixed evidence of effectiveness (1, 2). In a search for solutions, patients with LBP incur 75% more medical expenditures than patients without back pain (3). Racial and geographic disparities exist, with minorities receiving fewer specialist referrals and operations and less education, medication, and rehabilitation for their back ...References1. Chou R, Deyo R, Friedly J, Skelly A, Weimer M, Fu R, et al. Systemic pharmacologic therapies for low back pain: a systematic review for an American College of Physicians clinical practice guideline. Ann Intern Med. 2017;166:480-492. [PMID: 28192790]. doi:10.7326/M16-2458 LinkGoogle Scholar2. Chou R, Deyo R, Friedly J, Skelly A, Hashimoto R, Weimer M, et al. 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[PMID: 28192789]. doi:10.7326/M16-2367 LinkGoogle Scholar6. Saper RB, Lemaster C, Delitto A, Sherman KJ, Herman PM, Sadikova E, et al. Yoga, physical therapy, or education for chronic low back pain. A randomized noninferiority trial. Ann Intern Med. 2017;167:85-94. doi:10.7326/M16-2579 LinkGoogle Scholar7. Chang DG, Holt JA, Sklar M, Groessl EJ. Yoga as a treatment for chronic low back pain: a systematic review of the literature. J Orthop Rheumatol. 2016;3:1-8. [PMID: 27231715] MedlineGoogle Scholar8. Stratford PW, Riddle DL. A Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire target value to distinguish between functional and dysfunctional states in people with low back pain. Physiother Can. 2016;68:29-35. [PMID: 27504045] doi:10.3138/ptc.2014-85 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Simons LE, Elman I, Borsook D. Psychological processing in chronic pain: a neural systems approach. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2014;39:61-78. [PMID: 24374383] doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.12.006 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Tucker JA, Roth DL. Extending the evidence hierarchy to enhance evidence-based practice for substance use disorders. Addiction. 2006;101:918-32. [PMID: 16771885] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From University of California at San Diego, San Diego, California, and Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama.Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent the positions of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, any other entity of the U.S. government, or the University of California.Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M17-1263.Corresponding Author: Stefan Kertesz, MD, MsC, Birmingham VA Medical Center, 700 South 19th Street, REAP Mail Stop 151, Birmingham, AL 35233; e-mail, [email protected]edu.Current Author Addresses: Dr. Chang: University of California, San Diego, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 350 Dickinson Street, Suite 121, San Diego, CA 92103.Dr. Kertesz: Birmingham VA Medical Center, 700 South 19th Street, REAP Mail Stop 151, Birmingham, AL 35233.This article was published at Annals.org on 20 June 2017. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoYoga, Physical Therapy, or Education for Chronic Low Back Pain Robert B. Saper , Chelsey Lemaster , Anthony Delitto , Karen J. Sherman , Patricia M. Herman , Ekaterina Sadikova , Joel Stevans , Julia E. Keosaian , Christian J. Cerrada , Alexandra L. Femia , Eric J. Roseen , Paula Gardiner , Katherine Gergen Barnett , Carol Faulkner , and Janice Weinberg Metrics Cited byDynamic evaluation of the contractile function of lumbodorsal muscles during locust pose in yoga by real-time ultrasoundNonconsensual Dose Reduction Mandates are Not Justified Clinically or Ethically: An Analysis 18 July 2017Volume 167, Issue 2Page: 129-130KeywordsAnatomical pathologyExercise therapyLower back painPhysiotherapyRandomized trialsSocial influenceSpineStenosisSurgeryTreatment guidelines ePublished: 20 June 2017 Issue Published: 18 July 2017 PDF downloadLoading ...