Short-term outcomes of a back school program for chronic low back pain

Abstract

Objective: To assess the short-term outcome of a back school program for patients suffering from chronic, nonspecific low back pain (LBP).

Design: Quasi-experimental cohort study with a waiting list control group.

Setting: Dutch rehabilitation department.

Participants: Experimental group (n = 14) participating in the back school program and a waiting list control group (n = 10).

Intervention: A back school program aimed to achieve optimal functional capacity and functional health status by teaching participants to react appropriately to overload signals.

Main outcome measures: Functional capacity assessed by the RAND-36 instrument; functional health status assessed by the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire; and static and dynamic lifting capacity, endurance, and range of motion assessed by objective measures.

Results: The experimental group significantly improved in functional capacity and functional health status, with a large power, likely attributable to adequate reactions to signals of overload. Significant differences existed between the 2 groups, with large powers for the main outcomes.

Conclusion: The back school program improved the functional capacity and functional health status of patients with chronic, nonspecific LBP.