NCT01981798

Effect of an Outpatient Intervention Program in Patients With Chronic Back or Neck Pain

The Long-term Effect of an Outpatient Intervention Program With a Behavioral Therapy Approach in Patients With Chronic Back or Neck Pain With a Focus on Psychosocial Aspects

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 121 (actual)
• Sponsor: Orthopedic Hospital Vienna Speising · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 55 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

To investigated whether an ambulant intervention program with a behavioral therapy approach would exert a long-term effect on chronic unspecific back or neck pain. Specifically, the effect on patients with pronounced fear avoidance behavior and/or with psychosocial limitations was addressed.

Detailed description

BACKGROUND: Sustained success of ambulant intervention programs consisting of individual and group physiotherapy in patients with with chronic unspecific back or neck pain (cBP) has not been conclusively proven. It's still not clear whether one can achieve such success by devoting greater attention to psychosocial factors. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether an ambulant intervention program with a behavioral therapy approach would exert a long-term effect on cBP. Specifically, the effect on patients with pronounced fear avoidance behavior and/or with psychosocial limitations was addressed. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized controlled trial SETTINGS, INTERVENTION: 64 patients were assigned to intervention group (IG) and 57 to control group (CG). All were examined, informed about cBP, and were encouraged to stay active and perform exercises according to specific instructions provided in a neck- or back-book. The IG received 9 units of physiotherapy and 2 units of occupational therapy, conducted with a behavioral therapy approach. Efficacy of treatment was evaluated after 6 and 58 weeks. MEASUREMENTS: Pain (VAS), quantity of painkillers consumed, sick leave days, Oswestry-Disability-Index (ODI), SF-36, FABQ.

Conditions

• Chronic Low Back Pain
• Neck Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Physiotherapy and occupational therapy	Members of the training group received 9 units of physiotherapy and 2 units of occupational therapy, each with a duration of one hour. Every patient of the IG was trained to perform a neck or back intervention program specifically suited to his/her needs. The training was conducted in a single session by one of three experienced physiotherapists (with mean work experience of 6 years). After this training the patients completed eight group training units consisting a maximum number of 8 participants, each unit with a duration of one hour, over a maximum period of six weeks.

Timeline

• Start date: 2006-03-01
• Primary completion: 2008-02-01
• Completion: 2008-02-01
• First posted: 2013-11-13
• Last updated: 2013-11-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Austria