How effective are physiotherapy interventions in treating people with sciatica? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

研究概要

18 randomized controlled trials with a total of 2,699 patients with sciatica were included in this meta-analysis comparing physiotherapy and non-physiotherapy interventions. Pooled outcomes of interest included pain and disability, at short (<3 months), medium (3-12 months), and long-term (=>12 months) follow-up. A subgroup analysis by comparator type (minimal interventions, substantial/surgical interventions) was performed. No differences in both outcomes at all time points were observed. The subgroup analyses demonstrated that physiotherapy outperformed minimal interventions for pain at long-term time points. Substantial interventions did, however, significantly outperform physiotherapy in both pain and function, in the short-to-medium term.