Purposes of the study and background. Cognitive Functional Therapy (CFT) is a complex intervention that targets the biopsychosocial nature of low back pain (LBP). The barriers and facilitators to CFT have not previously been researched in the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS). This study aimed to explore the barriers and facilitators of CFT in the NHS ahead of a future clinical trial. Methods and results. Participants who had completed a CFT intervention for persistent LBP and physiotherapists who had previously attended a CFT training workshop were recruited. Data were collected using one to one semi-structured interviews and were analysed thematically using framework method. Eight people with LBP and ten physiotherapists consented to participate. The key findings were that UK NHS physiotherapists can be trained to deliver CFT, they valued the training and felt confident to deliver CFT successfully to patients in NHS physiotherapy departments. Peer support and mentorship from a CFT practitioner was necessary for the physiotherapists to sustain changes to their clinical practice. Participants with LBP welcomed CFT as they felt it was beneficial and enabled them to self-manage their LBP and they could recognise the difference between CFT and usual care. The barriers, mainly related to the healthcare system, included short appointment times and poor availability of follow-up appointments. Conclusion. This is the first study to establish the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of CFT in the NHS. The findings of this study were used to inform the planning, design and delivery of a feasibility
Background and study purpose. A recent systematic review with meta-analysis of eight
Purposes of the study and background. Cognitive Functional Therapy (CFT) is a psychologically informed, physiotherapist-led intervention that targets the biopsychosocial complexity of persistent low back pain (LBP). CFT has demonstrated positive outcomes in two
Background. Internet delivered interventions may provide a route to rapid support for behavioural self-management for low back pain (LBP) that could be widely applied within primary care. Although evidence is emerging that more complex technologies (mobile apps linked to digital wristbands) can have some impact on LBP-related disability, there is a need to determine the effectiveness of highly accessible, web-based support for self-management for LBP. Methods and results. We conducted a multi-centre pragmatic
Purpose and background. To evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a physical and psychological group intervention (BOOST programme) compared to physiotherapy assessment and advice (best practice advice [BPA]) for older adults with neurogenic claudication (NC) which is a debilitating spinal condition. Methods and results. A
Background and Purpose. The UK's NIHR and Australia's NHMRC have funded two
Background and purpose. The musculoskeletal system is a common, but often overlooked, cause of chest pain. Little is known about the efficacy of spinal manipulation for this condition. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the relative effectiveness of two conservative treatment approaches for acute musculoskeletal chest pain, 1) a spinal manipulation-based therapy as a typical example of chiropractic treatment and 2) self-management as an example of minimal intervention. Methods and results. In a non-blinded,
Purpose of the study and background. An integrated rehabilitation programme was developed and found feasible taking into account the existing evidence base, appropriate theories, and patient and public involvement. The integrated programme encompasses inpatient activities supported by a multidisciplinary team, and integration of knowledge, skills and behaviours in the patient's everyday life. The aim of this trial was to compare the effectiveness of an integrated rehabilitation programme with an existing rehabilitation programme in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods and Results. Comparison of two parallel rehabilitation programmes in a
Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures
(VCFs) are an increasing public health problem. Recently, randomised
controlled trials on the use of kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty in
the treatment of these fractures have been published, but no definitive conclusions
have been reached on the role of these interventions. The major
problem encountered when trying to perform a meta-analysis of the
available studies for the use of cementoplasty in patients with
a VCF is that conservative management has not been standardised.
Forms of conservative treatment commonly used in these patients
include bed rest, analgesic medication, physiotherapy and bracing. . In this review, we report the best evidence available on the
conservative care of patients with osteoporotic VCFs and associated
back pain, focusing on the role of the most commonly used spinal
orthoses. Although orthoses are used for the management of these patients,
to date, there has been only one
Background and Aim of Study. Despite several hundred RCTs of exercise for persistent non-specific low back pain (NSLBP), the treatment targets of exercise are unclear. In a systematic review we observed 30 direct and indirect treatment targets of exercise described across 23 RCTs for persistent NSLBP. Since not all treatment targets and outcomes can be assessed in all RCTs, it is therefore important to prioritise these treatment targets through consensus from key stakeholders. These consensus workshops aimed to agree treatment targets for the use of exercise interventions in
Vertebral compression fractures are the most prevalent complication of osteoporosis and percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) has emerged as a promising addition to the methods of treating the debilitating pain they may cause. Since PVP was first reported in the literature in 1987, more than 600 clinical papers have been published on the subject. Most report excellent improvements in pain relief and quality of life. However, these papers have been based mostly on uncontrolled cohort studies with a wide variety of inclusion and exclusion criteria. In 2009, two high-profile
Background. Exercise is a complex intervention, and often has more than one treatment target. Results from
Background and aims. The Keele STarT Back approach is effective for stratifying patients with low back pain in primary care, but a similar approach has not been tested with a broader range of patients with musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. We report a feasibility and pilot trial examining the feasibility of a future main trial of a primary care based, risk-stratification (STarT MSK) approach for patients with back, neck, knee, shoulder or multi-site pain. Methods. A pragmatic, two-parallel arm, cluster
Background. Sciatica is common and associated with significant impacts for the individual, health care and society. The SCOPiC
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed
the efficacy of bracing for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis have suffered
from small sample sizes, low compliance and lack of willingness
to participate. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility
of a comprehensive cohort study for evaluating both the efficacy
and the effectiveness of bracing in patients with adolescent idiopathic
scoliosis. Patients with curves at greater risk of progression were invited
to join a
Purposes of the study and background. Pain of lumbar facet-joint origin is a common cause of low back pain in adults, and may lead to chronic pain and disability. At present, there is no definitive research to support the use of targeted lumbar facet-joint injections to manage this pain. The study's objective was to assess the feasibility of carrying out a definitive study to evaluate the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of lumbar facet-joint injections compared to a sham procedure. Summary of methods and results. This was a blinded parallel two-arm pilot
We have assessed whether an epidural steroid injection is effective in the treatment of symptoms due to compression of a nerve root in the lumbar spine by carrying out a prospective,
Background and objectives. The Alexander Technique (AT) is a self-care method usually taught in one-to-one lessons. AT lessons have been shown to be helpful in managing long-term health-related conditions (Int J Clin Pract 2012;66:98−112). This systematic review aims to draw together evidence of the effectiveness of AT lessons in managing musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, with empirically based evidence of physiological changes following AT training, to provide a putative theoretical explanation for the observed benefits of Alexander lessons. Methods and results. Systematic searches of a range of databases were undertaken to identify prospective studies evaluating AT instruction for any musculoskeletal condition, using PICO criteria, and for studies assessing the physiological effects of AT training. Citations (N=332) were assessed and seven MSK intervention studies were included for further analysis. In two large well-designed
A statement of the purposes of the study and background. The biopsychosocial (BPS) model is recommended for managing non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) but the best method for teaching the BPS model is unclear. E-learning is a promising alternative to face-to-face methods. This study was a pilot
Introduction. Early intervention is advocated to prevent long-term work absence due to musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. The SWAP trial tested whether adding a vocational advice (VA) service to best current care led to fewer days work absence over 4 months. Methods. The SWAP trial was a cluster