Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2024 Jul 11;73:103144. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2024.103144. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Some patients with low back pain (LBP) also report radiating leg pain which is a prognostic factor for poorer clinical outcomes. We aimed: 1) to compare the baseline characteristics of patients with LBP with – (LBP + leg pain) and without radiating leg pain (LBP – alone); 2) to investigate whether patients with LBP + leg pain show similar post-treatment outcomes as compared to LBP – alone, after participation in an exercise and patient education program, i.e. the GLA:D Back program.
METHODS: The patient sample included 3508 patients in the GLA:D Back program between March 2018 and August 2022. The outcomes were mean changes in LBP intensity, back-related activity limitation, self-efficacy and fear of movement measured from baseline to 3, 6 and 12 months. Baseline characteristics were compared with descriptive statistics, and linear mixed models were used to estimate group differences in changes from baseline to 3-, 6- and 12 months.
RESULTS: 1915 (55%) of the patients were in the group LBP- alone and 1593 (45%) in the LBP + leg pain. The LBP + leg pain group displayed higher STarT back classification (greater risk of chronicity) compared to the LBP-alone. The LBP + leg pain group showed almost similar improvements in all outcomes compared to LBP – alone after the GLA:D Back program.
CONCLUSION: In long-lasting (chronic) LBP patients, the LBP + leg pain group improved to the same extent as LBP – alone regarding LBP intensity, disability, and fear of movement following an exercise and patient education program, GLA:D Back.
PMID:39038395 | DOI:10.1016/j.msksp.2024.103144
