Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comparative Study
. 2004 Nov 23:5:45.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-5-45.

Cost-effectiveness of an intensive group training protocol compared to physiotherapy guideline care for sub-acute and chronic low back pain: design of a randomised controlled trial with an economic evaluation. [ISRCTN45641649]

Nicole van der Roer  1 , Maurits W van Tulder, Johanna M Barendse, Willem van Mechelen, Willemien K Franken, Arjan C Ooms, Henrica C W de Vet
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Cost-effectiveness of an intensive group training protocol compared to physiotherapy guideline care for sub-acute and chronic low back pain: design of a randomised controlled trial with an economic evaluation. [ISRCTN45641649]

Nicole van der Roer et al. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. .

Abstract

Background: Low back pain is a common disorder in western industrialised countries and the type of treatments for low back pain vary considerably.

Methods: In a randomised controlled trial the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of an intensive group training protocol versus physiotherapy guideline care for sub-acute and chronic low back pain patients is evaluated. Patients with back pain for longer than 6 weeks who are referred to physiotherapy care by their general practitioner or medical specialist are included in the study. The intensive group training protocol combines exercise therapy with principles of behavioural therapy ("graded activity") and back school. This training protocol is compared to physiotherapy care according to the recently published Low Back Pain Guidelines of the Royal Dutch College for Physiotherapy. Primary outcome measures are general improvement, pain intensity, functional status, work absenteeism and quality of life. The direct and indirect costs will be assessed using cost diaries. Patients will complete questionnaires at baseline and 6, 13, 26 and 52 weeks after randomisation.

Discussion: No trials are yet available that have evaluated the effect of an intensive group training protocol including behavioural principles and back school in a primary physiotherapy care setting and no data on cost-effectiveness and cost-utility are available.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Picavet HS, Schouten JSAG, Smit HA. Prevalences and consequences of low back problems in the Netherlands, working vs non-working population, the MORGEN-study. Public Health. 1999;113:73–77. - PubMed
    1. Frymoyer JW. Back pain and sciatica. N Engl J Med. 1988;318:291–300. - PubMed
    1. Van Tulder MW, Koes BW, Bouter LM. A cost-of-illness study of back pain in The Netherlands. Pain. 1995;62:233–240. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(94)00272-G. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Van Tulder MW, Koes BW, Assendelft WJ, Bouter LM. In: The effectiveness of conservative treatment of acute and chronic low back pain. Van TulderMW, KoesBW, AssendelftWJJ and BouterLM, editor. Amsterdam, Faculteit der Geneeskunde VU, EMGO-instituut; 1999.
    1. Foster NE, Thompson KA, Baxter GD, Allen JM. Management of nonspecific low back pain by physiotherapists in Britain and Ireland. A descriptive questionnaire of current clinical practice. Spine. 1999;24:1332–1342. doi: 10.1097/00007632-199907010-00011. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Associated data