The study gave 300 patients with lower back pain two advice sessions on different lifting techniques to avoid back pain. About half of the group also received 10 customized physical therapy sessions.
Here are four observations:
1. Those patients receiving physical therapy experienced greater ability to perform activities at 10 weeks, 26 weeks and 52 weeks.
2. The physical therapy sessions focused on individualized treatments based on injury. For example, some sessions involved posture and lifting while others focused on motor control.
3. The physical therapy patients also reported less pain at 5 weeks, 10 weeks and 26 weeks compared to the advice group.
4. The researchers concluded advice sessions may prove beneficial to patients, but the added physical therapy allows a faster decrease in pain and better long-term improvements in function.
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