Summary of Physical Therapy Journal April 2011

Quick input on 5 of the PTJ articles for this month.  It's a quick read.

Managing chronic nonspecific LBP with a sensorimotor retraining approach – This one is worth reading - sounds like it will help abdominal patients also.  It is modeled after Moseley’s treatment of RSD in the extremities but applied to the back.  Includes sensory training and motor training.  The technique is very well described, seems it would be possible to try with patients.  I will report if I find a patient to try it on - Let me know if you do.

Association of biopsychosocial factors with degree of slump in sitting posture and self-report of back pain in adolescents – I always thought adolescent girls had bad posture and I guess they do but being male had a stronger association with back pain and slumped posture.  Other factors included lower perceived self-efficacy, higher BMI, greater TV use.  Interesting article.

Evaluation of a treatment-based classification algorithm for low back pain: a cross sectional study – I have always been intrigued with classifications and find them somewhat difficult for our patient population.  This study showed 25% did not fall into any classification and 25% fell into more than one classification.  I suspect those are my patients.

Predictors of response to PT intervention ion patients with primary hip OA – single best predictor was having pain less than one year.  Other factors included unilateral hip pain, pain less than 6/10, age less than 58, faster walking speed.  Patients with primary LBP were excluded.

Fear-avoidance beliefs are associated with disability in older American adults with LBP – higher fear avoidance scales where correlated with higher disability and increased falls.  Just another encouragement to treat their mind also.