A randomized controlled clinical trial of stay-active care versus manual therapy in addition to stay-active care: functional variables and pain.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the effect of manual therapy in addition to the stay-active concept versus the stay-active concept only in low back pain patients.

STUDY DESIGN

A randomized, controlled trial during 10 weeks.

METHODS

One hundred sixty outpatients with acute or subacute low back pain were recruited from a geographically defined area. They were randomly allocated to a reference group treated with the stay-active concept and, in some cases, muscle stretching and an experimental group receiving manual therapy and, in some cases, steroid injections in addition to the stay-active concept. Pain and disability rating index were used as outcome measures.

RESULTS

At baseline, the experimental group had somewhat more pain, a higher disability rating index, and more herniated disks than the reference group. After 5 and 10 weeks, the experimental group had less pain and a lower disability rating index than the reference group.

CONCLUSIONS

The manual treatment concept used in this study in low back pain patients appears to reduce pain and disability rating better than the traditional stay-active concept.