The effects of spinal support device on pain and extensibility of the hamstrings in patients with non-specific low back pain.
Eun Tae Jeon, Jin-Hwa Jung, Jong Hoon Moon and 5 others
PMID 28878452WHAT IT FOUND
In 20 people, pain scores fell more with spinal support device bed rest than bed rest alone, but hamstring extensibility did not improve.
Key findings
01Pain scores decreased more in the device group, with change scores of -1.85 ± 0.80 versus -1.01 ± 0.85 (p=0.048).
02Pain pressure threshold increased within the device group (p=0.027), but the between-group change was not significant (p=0.291).
03Hamstring extensibility did not improve significantly in either group, and the between-group change was not significant.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 20 people were studied, with 10 in each group. The authors note the sample was small, participants had mild pain, and the intervention lasted only four weeks. The paper does not clearly identify a primary outcome, so the pain and flexibility results should be read as the stated study aims. Adherence was checked by phone once every three days, not by direct observation. The text describes pain pressure threshold measurement at the L5 region, while the tables label the outcome as the sacroiliac joint, which may make the finding harder to interpret.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the spinal support device alone reduces pain or improves hamstring flexibility. Both groups received bed rest, the flexibility outcome was null, and the pain pressure threshold change did not differ between groups.