Physiotherapy-led pain management could save NHS millions
A study into three different physiotherapy treatments for chronic low back pain has found that physiotherapist-led pain management works as well as other methods and could lead to savings for the NHS in fewer referrals for further treatment.
The research, funded by arc, has just been published in the journal Spine.
In the study, carried out at King’s College London and Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, 212 patients with chronic low back pain were randomly allocated to one of three kinds of physiotherapy: *1) Individual (one-to-one) physiotherapy, and two new group treatments *2) spinal stabilisation exercise and *3) pain management. Participants were assessed at six, 12 and 18 months.
All three treatments worked and people showed good improvements in disability, pain and quality of life after their respective therapies. However, people who followed the pain management programme were four times less likely to visit a consultant and had fewer investigations (x-rays, blood tests, MRI scans) or procedures (injections, surgery).
One of the lead investigators, Duncan Critchley, from the Academic Department of Physiotherapy at King’s College London, said: “Above all we’ve shown that all three physiotherapy regimens improved people’s quality of life. But the most cost-effective is pain management and ultimately, fewer referrals for further tests and treatment could save the NHS more than £126 million a year.”
Sandra Noonan, Superintendent Physiotherapist at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust added: “Chronic low back pain is a very distressing condition for a large number of people in this country so we were delighted that the study showed that all three treatments worked. Comparing them in this way has given us some extremely helpful findings.”
Around 17 million people in the UK suffer from back pain every year and 1.6 million of these people are referred to NHS physiotherapy every year. More than 110 million days sick-leave are taken a year because of low back pain per year, costing the economy approximately £9 billion.
*
1. Individual physiotherapy is the current most usual kind of physiotherapy for low back pain. This consists of a combination of exercises, manipulation and advice specific to the individual’s problems. The exercises are taught in the clinic but usually performed at home.
2. ‘Spinal stabilisation’ exercises are for specific stomach and back muscles that protect the spine but sometimes work incorrectly in people with back problems.
3. In pain management, exercises are aimed at improving general fitness and flexibility and also at increasing people’s confidence so they can move without damaging or re-injuring their back. This is allied with a structured programme of education and advice about coping with back pain.
To see the original press release relating to this grant please click here.
