Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a perceptive rehabilitative approach,
based on a new device, with regard to pain and disability in patients with
chronic nonspecific low back pain. DESIGN: Single blind, randomized, controlled
trial. SETTING: An outpatient academic hospital. PATIENTS: Seventy-five patients
with chronic low back pain. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized into three
groups. Twenty-five subjects received 10 sessions in one month, based on specific
perceptive exercises that were performed on a suitably developed device.
Twenty-five patients entered a Back School programme. Twenty-five patients
comprised a control group that received the same medical and pharmacological
assistance as the other groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain was assessed using
the Visual Analogue Scale and McGill Pain Questionnaire. Disability was evaluated
using the Oswestry Disability Index and Waddell Disability Index. All
measurements were recorded before treatment, at the end of the study, and at 12
and 24 weeks. RESULTS: General pain relief was recorded in all the groups, which
was elicited more quickly in the perceptive treatment group; significant
differences in pain scores were observed at the end of treatment (P < 0.001 for
visual analogue scale and P = 0.001 for Questionnaire) versus the other groups.
Disability scores in the perceptive group did not differ significantly from those
in the other group, whereas these scores significantly differed between Back
School and control groups at the follow-ups (P < 0.01 for both scales).
CONCLUSION: Perceptive rehabilitation has immediate positive effects on pain.
Back School reduces disabilities at follow-up.

Langue : ANGLAIS