GP-led back pain education of no benefit: study
GP-led intensive patient education does not improve pain outcomes in those with acute low back pain receiving recommended first-line care, according to a new Australian trial.
Despite the fact a 2008 Cochrane review concluded that it was effective, and every major guideline includes this recommendation, no placebo-controlled trials have investigated whether it is helpful.
So the Preventing Chronic Low Back Pain (PREVENT) Trial was set up in by a team at the University of Sydney.
The team randomised 202 patients who had been experiencing low back pain for less than six weeks to receive two one-hour sessions of patient education or placebo patient education.
Ninety-four in the active treatment group and 89 in the placebo group completed the 12-month follow-up.
The study found no significant difference between the two groups in the primary endpoint of