Evaluation of the effectiveness of short-term rehabilitation of women with chronic low back pain using the Oswestry and Roland-Morris Disability Scales.

BACKGROUND

60-80% of the population experience chronic low back pain at some point in their lives [1], with women suffering more frequently [2]. Low back pain-related ailments lead to long-term or recurrent disability [3, 4]. Rehabilitation based on physiotherapy provides a viable alternative and is rightly regarded as safer for patients. However, finding an effective method of rehabilitation is a difficult task [5, 6]. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of rehabilitation in women with chronic low back pain using the Oswestry and Roland-Morris Disability Scales and to identify factors influencing the degree of functional disability in patients with chronic low back pain.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study involved 319 women aged 18-75 years (mean age = 45 years, SD ± 16. 3). The participants were undergoing treatment at the Rehabilitation Centre of Zamość University of Management and Administration on account of chronic low back pain, following two or more episodes lasting longer than three months. The outcomes of rehabilitation were assessed with ODI and RMDQ.

RESULTS

We obtained comparable results with the ODI and RMDQ and found statistically significant improvement in functional status after rehabilitation (ODI: p <0.001, RMDQ: p <0.001). In both cases there was a statistically significant relationship between the degree of functional disability and age (ODI: p <0.001, RMDQ: p <0.001), education (ODI: p <0.004, RMDQ: p <0.004), BMI (ODI: p <0.001, RMDQ : p <0.001), WHR (ODI: p <0.001, RMDQ: p <0.001), and hypertension (ODI: p <0.001, RMDQ: p <0.001). There were no statically significant differences between the degree of disability vs. place of residence (ODI: p <0.5, RMDQ: p <0.867) or the presence of type 2 diabetes (ODI: p <0.321, RMDQ: p <0.06).

CONCLUSIONS

1.The programme for rehabilitation of patients with low back pain proved effective in reducing the degree of disability, as demonstrated both by the Oswestry Disability Index and the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. 2. The relationship between the degree of functional disability and age, BMI, WHR, and hypertension was also confirmed by both questionnaires.