Study Shows Physical Therapy, Exercise Best for Low-Back Pain
Monday March 14, 2011
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Conservative treatments such as physical therapy and exercises for workers’ compensation patients with chronic low-back pain had better outcomes than spinal fusion surgery, according to researchers.
The study, which appears in the Feb. 15 issue of Spine, found that patients who underwent lumbar arthrodesis had lower return-to-work rates than those who did nonsurgical treatments.
Researchers from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine used data from Ohio workers’ compensation cases to find 725 workers who had spinal fusion surgery for chronic low-back pain. Many of those patients were suffering from degenerative disk disease, herniated disks or radiculopathy. They also selected the same number of workers as control.
Outcomes were determined either two years after the date of surgery, or two years after the date of their injuries.
The authors found almost all categories of outcomes were worse for the spinal fusion patients. Of the workers treated with physical therapy and exercises, 67% returned to work, compared with 26% of those who underwent surgery. Permanent disability was more likely to develop in spinal fusion patients (11%) versus workers treated without surgery (2%).
Complications were reported in 36% of the workers who had surgery, and the reoperation rate was 27% during the two-year period, the authors noted. Also, 76% of those who underwent surgery continued to take opioid medications after their operation, often at higher doses.
The study, which appears in the Feb. 15 issue of Spine, found that patients who underwent lumbar arthrodesis had lower return-to-work rates than those who did nonsurgical treatments.
Researchers from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine used data from Ohio workers’ compensation cases to find 725 workers who had spinal fusion surgery for chronic low-back pain. Many of those patients were suffering from degenerative disk disease, herniated disks or radiculopathy. They also selected the same number of workers as control.
Outcomes were determined either two years after the date of surgery, or two years after the date of their injuries.
The authors found almost all categories of outcomes were worse for the spinal fusion patients. Of the workers treated with physical therapy and exercises, 67% returned to work, compared with 26% of those who underwent surgery. Permanent disability was more likely to develop in spinal fusion patients (11%) versus workers treated without surgery (2%).
Complications were reported in 36% of the workers who had surgery, and the reoperation rate was 27% during the two-year period, the authors noted. Also, 76% of those who underwent surgery continued to take opioid medications after their operation, often at higher doses.
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Monday March 14, 2011