Weight loss is commonly recommended as a treatment for back pain. However, there is little literature to support this. A recent systematic review has identified only studies relating to bariatric surgery. There are no other studies that address whether weight loss improves back pain.

Forty-five consecutive consenting patients were recruited following enrolment in a tertiary multidisciplinary weight management program. These patients were referred primarily for treatment of obesity. The program consisted of consultation and on-going supervision by a sub-specialty weight management physician, and group and individual sessions addressing diet, exercise and behaviour modification. Patients were assessed by independent observers prior to start of program and at twelve weeks into the program with standardised and validated outcomes tools measuring baseline factors, back pain and related functional disability at twelve weeks follow-up.

Prior to starting the program, forty-two patients (93%) reported some degree of low back pain of which 40% rated their pain as moderate (n = 12) or severe (n = 6). Using the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index, 73% patients reported moderate (n = 18) or severe disability (n = 15). At twelve weeks, thirty-seven (82%) patients were available for assessment. There were significant improvement in VAS pain scores (mean change = 1.5, 95% CI: 0.7 to 2.4) and in Oswestry Low Back Disability Index (mean change= 8.6, 95% CI: 3.9 to 13.2). There were significant reductions in the prevalence of moderate or severe back pain (p = 0.04) and moderate or severe disability (p = 0.007) in the entire group.

This is the first study to provide empirical evidence on the positive effects of a weight loss program on back pain. These results lay the groundwork for longer follow-up and comparative studies.

Although many authors have emphasised the importance of lumbar spinal decompression surgery for “leg dominant pain”, there is little objective evidence on the outcomes of surgery for varying degrees of back pain compared to leg pain. Moreover, it is unclear whether patients with radicular or claudication type leg pain, presenting with significant back pain as well, would benefit from surgical decompression. This study evaluated the outcomes of patients with

(i.) leg dominant pain compared to patients with

A prospective cohort of consenting adult patients, who have consecutively undergone elective primary posterior lumbar decompression surgery at a single academic institution by sub-specialty spinal surgeons were evaluated with longitudinal follow-up using standardised outcomes instruments. The cohort was analyzed into those with

(i.) leg dominant pain and those with

Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to adjust for potential confounding effects of demographic, surgical, waiting list and psychosocial factors.

Of the eighty-five eligible patients, sixty-nine (81.3%) had at least one year follow-up with a mean follow-up time of seventeen months. Baseline factors were similar between the two groups except for back and leg pain and wait times for consultation after referral. Patients with significant back pain waited significantly longer (p = 0.04) for consultation after referral than those with leg dominant pain. Significantly (p = 0.002) more patients (93%) in the leg dominant pain group reported clinically significant improvement in the Oswestry than the significant back pain group (59%). This effect remained after multivariate adjustments for other baseline factors.

This study is one of the first to provide objective evidence to support the notion that the primary indication and best predictor of outcome for lumbar decompression surgery is leg dominant pain. Presence of significant back pain, despite presence of leg pain, is a strong predictor of poorer post-operative results. Further research is required to determine if the current long waiting lists are a causative factor for development of significant back pain in surgical candidates.