Are you at risk of developing chronic low back pain from an injury? In a study published in The Spine Journal researchers from the Netherlands combined the results of three randomized, controlled trials of 628 workers on medical leave for low back pain. The trials drew from a wide base of professions, comparing results among construction, healthcare, industrial, airline, and office workers.
The researchers considered psychological factors like overall job satisfaction and fear of movement triggered by past experiences of pain (kinesiophobia) as well as physical factors like age, gender, pain intensity, disability level, and the amount of heavy lifting required by their job. The study followed up with patients a year later to determine which of them had developed chronic pain.
The researchers took this data and developed a short list of the indicators that predict which people will develop chronic low back pain. Patients who level of disability did not decrease within the first three months of onset of of pain, and whose pain level did not decrease within those same three months were more likely to develop chronic pain. People who started out with high pain intensity and those who had a higher kinesiophobia were also at a higher risk.
This study has important implications in the treatment of low back pain. Chiropractors and health care professionals should monitor pain intensity and disability level when treating a patient with acute low back pain. If patients don’t experience relief in the first three months of treatment, they may require more targeted treatment.
For more information on the chiropractic treatment of acute or chronic low back pain, contact the chiropractors at Health Star Chiropractic. The Health Star chiropractors are currently treating patients from the Montgomery, Prattville, and Millbrook areas.
Hemans MW, vanBuuren S, Knol DL, Anema JR, van Mechelen W, de Vet HCW. The prognosis of chronic low back pain is determined by changes in pain and disability in the initial period. The Spine Journal 2010 (10) 847-856