The Effectiveness of a Multidisciplinary, Protocol-based Approach to Patients of Different Age Groups with Lower Back Pain in Bloemfontein, Gqeberha, Polokwane, and Johannesburg
Date
2024
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
Introduction: Lower back pain is a chronic worldwide condition experienced by many individuals. In Africa specifically, it has been reported that the average lifetime prevalence of lower back pain is 36% within adolescence, and 62% within adults. Although exercise interventions exist there are many gaps in terms of efficacy across age groups; a lack of multidisciplinary approach; as well as, a lack of a reproducible standardised protocol. Furthermore, there is a lack of interventions focusing on pain scale improvements and ROM simultaneously. In the early 90’s, a Documentation Based Care (DBC) multidisciplinary protocol was developed in Finland which aimed to bridge this gap by reducing low back pain, Subsequently it was adapted, and implemented in South Africa, however no information exists as to whether it has been effective in the South African context in terms of improving back pain, as well as improving ROM in individuals.
Objectives: To determine whether the current South African adaptation of the Finnish DBC lower back protocol is effective in reducing pain levels and improving range of motion over multiple age groups.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of 1499 data sets, of individuals who participated in a standardised 6-week lower back intervention, using the adapted version of the Finnish DBC lower back programme was conducted. Data was extracted from a collated database from 5 Biokinetics practices using the adapted DBC protocol. Data included: age, pre-post intervention visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scale data and lumbar thoracic ROM including flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation. Descriptive statistics were used for the demographic data, student T- tests were used for pre-post ROM and pain scale data. The use of Statistical version 14.0 was used for the analysis and p value of <0.05 was deemed significant.
Results:
Pain: This study found that for 91.9% of individuals participating in the intervention (n=1377), there was a reduction in lower back pain measured on the VAS pain scale, while for 5.2% (n=78) there was no change in pain, and for only 2.9% there was an increase in pain (n=44). ROM: All age groups were found to have increase range of motion in all movements from pre- intervention to post-intervention.
Conclusion: The South African adaptation of the DBC protocol over the last 3 years has been successful in reducing pain and increasing ROM in all age group categories pre-intervention to
post-intervention
Description
Research proposal submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in the branch of Biokinetics to the Faculty of Health Sciences; School of Theraputic science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024
Keywords
Multidisiploinary, Protocol, Lower back pain, UCTD
Citation
Bennett, Matthew Terence. (2024). The Effectiveness of a Multidisciplinary, Protocol-based Approach to Patients of Different Age Groups with Lower Back Pain in Bloemfontein, Gqeberha, Polokwane, and Johannesburg [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WireDSpace.