Effectiveness of the Godelieve Denys-Struyf (GDS) method in people with low back pain: cluster randomized controlled trial.

This report has been verified by one or more authors of the original publication.

461 patients (342 patients completed follow-up) with low back pain (LBP) received a short education program, and were randomized to receive either Godelieve Denys-Struyf (GDS) sessions, or the standard physical therapy sessions typically offered in the Spanish National Health Service (SNHS). Patients in the GDS group were either administered individual sessions and group sessions (GDS-I), or only groups sessions (GDS-G). The main purpose of the study was to to compare GDS and physical therapy outcomes in patients with LBP. Main outcomes included pain and disability which were measured at 2, 6, and 12 months. Secondary outcomes included self-reported health and the use of other treatments. The results of this study indicated that group GDS sessions offered greater improvement in disability on the Roland-Morris Questionnaire when compared to standard physical therapy, though no significant differences in pain or referred pain down the leg were observed in comparison of either group or individual GDS versus standard physical therapy.