Back pain time is most beneficial for pain

Study notes: Physical therapy has only modest benefits
A study from the University of Utah investigated the benefits of early physical therapy in lower back pain (LBP) patients. It has been found that this type of therapy provides only modest benefits. It is the time that gradually eases the symptoms.

Professor Julie Fritz and her colleagues evaluated data from more than 200 patients between 2011 and 2013. In the course of the study, about half of all subjects were treated by physical therapy. The other half received only a traditional back pain treatment. After every three months, the researchers then began to examine the subjects regularly.

Over time, almost all back pain improves. Image: cristovao31 - fotolia

Pain level hardly better after one year of therapy
The observation showed that people who had taken part in a physical therapy were able to carry out certain tasks. In activities such as standing, walking, sitting or lifting, however, it was observed that the degree of pain was almost the same as a year before. The difference between levels of pain was, according to the researchers, not really clear enough to be considered a clinically relevant improvement.

Recovery difference between two groups minimal
Patients in both groups improved their health rapidly. This rapid and significant improvement in lower back pain strongly influences the treatment effects in the early intervention studies. The researchers found that there was a modest difference between the two groups in favor of early physical therapy. The difference between the groups was so minimal that it could not be considered a clinically important deviation. Moreover, this difference was barely noticeable during the first year.

Too fast recovery can lead to serious damage
Results of the study were published in the Medical Journal of the American Medical Association. One of the authors of the study said that difficulties can occur when trying to speed up the path of recovery. By doing so, it would even be possible to cause truly serious harm to the patient. This could lead to expensive and unnecessary operations. Experts from the University of Utah also found that stress plays a major role in the development of pain. Reducing stress, by any means, helps alleviate the problem. People with lower back pain who feel well treated and cared for recover somewhat faster from their condition. (As)