Coordinative treatment and quality of life - A randomised trial of nurses with back pain

Background data: The influence of strength training on back conditions has been demonstrated quite well, whereas coordinative training being a major c omponent of physical therapy regarding preventive and rehabilitative treatm ent of back pain is used only occasionally and has been evaluated even more rarely. One has to consider this fact regarding the still growing number o f musculoskeletal diseases. Aim of study: The influence of several preventive therapies (coordination t raining in spacecurl, kinaesthetics/back protective patient transfer) has b een investigated with regard to coordination, back pain and quality of life in a randomised controlled study. Methods: We used an assessment-set consisting of a specially devised questi onnaire regarding job demands, sports activity and back pain and the WHOQOL -BREF for control of quality of life. These methods were combined with body surface electromyography and posturography. Those methods enabled us to de termine parameters such as coordination, back pain and quality of life at 3 different stages (untrained individuals) and 4 points (trained individuals ) respectively. Results: Trained individuals showed a significant reduction of back pain fr equency (p = 0.016) before and after training. In comparison there was no d ifference in untrained individuals. Furthermore trained individuals showed an increase in quality of life of 5.4% (p = 0.028), whereas again there was no difference in untrained individuals. Somatic diagnostics (body surface electromyography, posturography) showed significant changes only in the tra ined group.