Hip-Focused Vs Spine-Focused Physical Therapy For Chronic Low Back Pain .
Hip-focused physical therapy versus spine-focused physical therapy for older adults with chronic low back pain at risk for mobility decline (MASH): a multicentre, single-masked, randomised controlled trial.
Lancet Rheumatol . 2024 Jan;6(1):e10-e20.One hundred eighty-four older adults with chronic low back pain were randomized to receive either hip-focused physical therapy (n=91) or spine-focused physical therapy (n=93). The primary outcomes of interest were disability measured using the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale, and physical performance using the 10-Meter Walk Test at 8 weeks. Secondary outcomes of interest included the 6-minute walk test, 20-second chair stand, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Research Task Force Impact Score (RTF), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS), lower back and hip/thigh pain intensity, post-performance movement-evoked pain aggregate, and the incidence of adverse events. Outcomes were assessed at 8 weeks and 6 months. Overall, the results of the study revealed that hip-focused physical therapy showed greater improvements in low back pain-related disability at 8 weeks but the results were not statistically different between the two groups. Both treatments yielded clinically meaningful improvements in disability and function for this high-risk population at 6 months. These findings suggest that while both approaches are beneficial, hip-focused therapy may offer quicker improvements in disability, warranting further investigation before clinical implementation.
Unlock the Full ACE Report
You have access to 4 more FREE articles this month.
Click below to unlock and view this ACE Reports
Unlock Now
Critical appraisals of the latest, high-impact randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews in orthopaedics
Access to OrthoEvidence podcast content, including collaborations with the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, interviews with internationally recognized surgeons, and roundtable discussions on orthopaedic news and topics
Subscription to The Pulse, a twice-weekly evidence-based newsletter designed to help you make better clinical decisions
Exclusive access to original content articles, including in-house systematic reviews, and articles on health research methods and hot orthopaedic topics