EFFECTIVENESS OF INPATIENT REHABILITATION FOR SUBCHRONIC AND CHRONIC LOW-BACK-PAIN BY AN INTEGRATIVE GROUP TREATMENT PROGRAM (SWISS MULTICENTER STUDY)

In this multicentre intervention study, we compared an integrated grou p treatment program which combines psychological and education methods into a more active training approach, with the traditional individual approach of physiotherapy and physical procedures for sub-chronic and chronic low back pain. Our 411 patients had a 4-week inpatient treatm ent: 243 patients in an experimental program and 168 in a traditional program. Outcomes of 283 patients were assessed 3 months and 1 year af ter entry. The dropout rate was 31.1%. Both conditions demonstrated fa vourable initial effects on functional and psychological parameters, b ut the integrated approach showed better long-term results for work re habilitation than the traditional approach. The most successful patien ts (n = 58) were younger and had a higher educational level in compari son to the unsuccessful subgroup (n = 71). The main conclusion is that an integrated approach promoting self control and behaviour change th rough educational measures achieves better long-term results than the traditional individual physiotherapy approach.