Effectiveness of group therapy in a functional setting, compared to usual physiotherapy treatment protocols for non-specific chronic low back pain patients

Concluding, the functional group therapy seems to be cost effective compared to usual physiotherapy for patients with non-specific chronic low back pain in this study. For further research in this field it is recommended to conduct a study with homogenous groups at baseline with a larger sample or to repeat the study as a randomized controlled trial to obtain equal groups at baseline.

Depending on clinical conditions, therapy applied to the intervention group including anatomy lessons and strengthen the inner stabilizers of the lumbar spine could be advised in order to save money.

The patients were recruited in the Netherlands.

1. This study will investigate if the group therapy is effective based on the functional outcome variables (pain, mobility, activity and disability) in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain.

2. This study will compare the effectiveness of the outcome variables (pain, mobility and activity) of the group therapy versus usual physiotherapy in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain.

3. This study will compare the cost-effectiveness between the group therapy versus the usual physiotherapy treatment in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain.

Timepoints:

Before treatment (pre-test)

after treatment (post-test)

1 month follow up

1 year follow up

The intervention group, consists of group therapy (a combination of anatomy lessons, lessons in behavioural principles and exercise therapy).

In the intervention group patients attended up for 5 treatment sessions, followed once a week over a 5 week period. Each session lasted approximately one hour. The participants were trained by a physiotherapist in group sessions delivered in a gym. In total there were 13 different hours planned per week, so patients were eligible to decide when to participate. The group consisted of 5-10 patients. The level of exercises progressed over the 5 weeks period. Every session consisted of a changed content wherein awareness and self-management played a central role



In the control group (active) patients were treated individually according to the low back pain guidelines of the KNGF the Dutch college for physiotherapy.

The frequentie was on average 13 for the control group and the duration per treatment 25 minutes.