For mild low-back pain, one-time treatment may suffice

The question: Many people with low-back pain visit a physical therapist. Does this treatment actually help?

This study randomly assigned 286 adults with mild to moderate low-back pain to receive standard physical therapy or simply be advised to stay active.

People in the advice group were examined and counseled once by a physical therapist and given a book on back pain.

The others got the book but also received an average of five therapy sessions, with treatment ranging from stretching and strengthening exercises to joint manipulation.

Therapy recipients were more likely than the others to report improvements in their condition, but standard disability measurements showed no actual differences in physical functioning between the groups.

Who may be affected by these findings? People with moderate but chronic low-back pain.

Caveats: Participants received varied types of therapy. Both groups reported small improvements; whether this would have occurred in a group that receive no care at all was not tested.

Bottom line: People with moderate low-back pain who are considering physical therapy should be aware that long-term treatment may be no more beneficial than a single visit.

Find this study: Sept. 25 issue of the British Medical Journal; abstract available online at www.bmj.com.

Learn more about low-back pain at www.mayoclinic.com and www.neurosurgerytoday.org.