Exercise therapy compliance in acute low back pain patients

Summary This study obtained data on short-term compliance with therapeutic home-based exercise for patients' with acute or sub-acute spinal pain, and investigated the intervention of an educational strategy of written and illustrated reinforcement to improve compliance in Low back pain (LBP) patients. Ninety-six LBP patients were randomized into study or control groups with the study group receiving verbal and written exercise instructions and the control group verbal instruction alone. Patients receiving additional written and illustrated instruction had a significantly higher mean compliance (77.4%) compared to the group who received verbal instruction alone (38.1%). T-test analysis indicated a significant difference between groups for compliance to the prescribed exercises ( P It is inferred from this study that written reinforcement used as an educational strategy to improve compliance to home-based exercises is an effective and clinically viable strategy. It is recommended that exercise is prescribed with accompanying written and illustrated instructions to increase compliance in prospective clinically randomized trials on therapeutic exercise.

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