A RANDOMIZED TRIAL OF EXERCISE THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE LOW-BACK-PAIN - EFFICACY ON SICKNESS ABSENCE

Study Design. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial in which patients received either usual care by a general practitioner (information and analgesics), or placebo physiotherapy given by a physiotherapist, or exercise therapy given by a physiotherapist. Objective. To assess the efficacy of exercise therapy on sickness absence from work in patients with acute low back pain. Summary of Background Data. Exercise therap y during the nonchronic phase of back pain is considered to reduce sic kness absence, but this opinion is controversial. Methods. Patients wi th acute nonspecific low back pain and a paid job were included for an alysis. Sickness absence (number of days) was checked monthly during t he 1-year follow-up period and compliance was also assessed. Results. From 40 general practices 363 patients who were gainfully employed wer e included. In the exercise therapy group the percentage of patients w ith sickness absence was higher and the duration of absence was longer than in the placebo and usual care groups, but these differences were not significant. Indications of mole absence in the exercise therapy group appeared to be based largely on a greater number of patients wit h absences during the first 3 months. Patients in the exercise group w ho had not reported sick at entry had more sickness absences during th e follow-up year than patients in the usual care and placebo group. Go od compliance did not affect the results. Conclusions. Exercise therap y for patients with acute low back pain does not reduce sickness absen ce.