Arthritis charity funds major physiotherapy clinical trial
A research team in Hull is to carry out a new clinical trial which aims to compare the effectiveness of two types of physiotherapy on patients with neck and back pain.
More than 300 patients in the East Riding of Yorkshire are to be recruited to take part in the study, funded by a grant of more than £123,000 by medical research charity the Arthritis Research Campaign, to help them cope better with their pain and disability.
The three-year study, which will begin in the summer, will be carried out by a team at the University of Hull's Institute of Rehabilitation. Patients will be recruited from physiotherapy departments throughout the East Riding.
Back and neck pain are huge problems in the UK and cost the NHS millions of pounds every year. More than 2 million people consulted their GP about back pain in the past year, and 108 million working days were lost last year because of related spinal problems.
Although research has shown that physiotherapy can help people with back pain and that patients should be encouraged to return to an active life as soon as possible, there is no firm evidence about which type of physiotherapy regime is the most effective.
The university team, headed by deputy director of the Institute, Dr Jennifer Klaber-Moffett, will compare the effectiveness of two types of physiotherapy.
One type, the McKenzie system, which is widely used throughout the UK and other parts of the world for many years, offers a "mechanical" approach to treatment and concentrates on treating symptoms.
The other method, which has been devised by the Hull team, places greater emphasis on the psychological aspects of neck and back pain, and aims to help patients identify and solve their problems by addressing their individual concerns and enabling them to cope better with pain and disability.
"There are many different types of neck and back pain, and there are many different practitioners, such as physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths, who have many different ideas of how to treat it," explains Dr Klaber-Moffett. "There is no standard, best practice throughout the UK. This study will evaluate clinical and cost-effectiveness of these two approaches and will also show which patients can benefit most."
