Background and Purpose: Current clinical guidelines recommend supervised exercise as a first-line treatment in the management of low back pain (LBP). To date studies have not used objective forms of measuring changes in free-living physical activity (FLPA). The aim of this study was to compare FLPA between two groups who received either supervised exercise and auricular acupuncture (EAA) or exercise alone (E).

Methods: 51 patients with non-specific LBP [mean±SD=42.8±12.4 years] wore an accelerometer for 7 days at baseline, end of the intervention (week 8) and follow up (week 25). FLPA variables were extracted: % time (hours) spent in postures; daily step count and cadence. Data were analysed using SPSS (v15). Repeated measures ANCOVA were performed using a mixed linear model.

Results: There was no difference in daily step count between the two groups at any time point (E, mean±SD, week 1, 8197±2187; week 8, 8563±2438, week 25, 8149±2800; EAA, mean±SD, week 1, 8103±1942; week 8, 8010±2845, week 25, 8139±1480, p=0.9) or cadence. No differences in postures were noted, apart from time sitting/lying which was shorter at week 25 in the E group (p=0.006).

Conclusions & Implications: Supervised exercise classes, with or without acupuncture, do not produce changes in FLPA in the short term or longer term in people with LBP. This suggests more effective ways should be sought to encourage the patient to incorporate activity into their daily lives. These findings have informed the design of two walking intervention trials for LBP patients.

Conflict of Interest: None

Sources of Funding: Research and Development Office, Northern Ireland, Strategic Priority Fund, Department of Employment and Learning, Northern Ireland.

Most patients with dominantly inherited osteogenesis imperfecta have blue sclerae and relatively mild symptoms. However, in a small group of families the patients have normal sclerae and this disorder has been classified as Type 4 osteogenesis imperfecta. This paper reports the clinical and radiographical features of 48 patients from 16 families with Type 4 osteogenesis imperfecta and compares the findings with those of the classical disorder with blue sclerae (Type 1 osteogenesis imperfecta). The two types are similar in usually causing a mild disease but with a wide range of severity, and in both types the rate of fracture declines in adolescence. There are, however, some significant differences apart from the colour of the sclerae. In Type 4 the first fracture more commonly occurs at birth, dentinogenesis imperfecta is more frequent than in Type 1 and bruising and nose-bleeds are less common. As in Type 1, the radiographic appearances of the bones may be normal. It is important that Type 4 osteogenesis imperfecta should be recognised because of the need for competent genetic counselling, because the management may be different from that appropriate for Type 1 and because it may be mistaken for idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis or child abuse.