South London back pain patients to take part in major physiotherapy trial
MORE than 300 south Londoners who suffer from low back pain are to be recruited to take part in a major clinical trial to test three different types of physiotherapy.
Physiotherapist and lecturer Duncan Critchley from King's College, London, has been awarded a three-year grant of £151,907 by the Arthritis Research Campaign to find out which types of physiotherapy are the most effective in reducing back pain. He is collaborating with physiotherapists from Guy's and St Thomas's Hospitals who will be providing the different treatments.
Long-term back pain is an enormous problem in the UK and throughout the western world, and successful treatment remains very much a hit and miss affair, often depending on where patients live. Often people with back pain are afraid that everyday activity will cause more pain and damage.
Mr Critchley will test three different types of physiotherapy on patients;
- General exercise in small groups of patients aiming to increase people's confidence in their back.
- Exercise of specific stomach and back muscles that protect the spine but sometimes work incorrectly in people with back problems
- Treated individually with manipulation and exercises.
"Trying to find effective treatments is a priority for everyone from patients to health care professionals and researchers," explained Mr Critchley.
"All three treatments can help some people with back pain, but we don't know if one treatment works better in general or for particular kinds of people, such as those with poorly working muscles or who are especially anxious."
Mr Critchley will use ultrasound scanning and a number of other tests and questionnaires before and after the treatment to find out which of the three types of physiotherapy, if any, are the most effective.
The Arthritis Research Campaign is the fifth biggest medical research charity in the UK, and raised £24m over the past 12 months to fund research into finding the causes of, cures for and treatment of arthritis and related conditions.
This project has now ended. To read the latest information on the trial please click here.
