Table 2.
Description of included studies on acute low back pain
| Study | Participants (setting) | Design | Outcomes | Follow up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper et al 199612; Tate et al 199913 | 218 nurses with occupational back injuries for <2 days (Canada) | Controlled trial comparing early intervention with control* (nill) | Pain (0-100; n=158), disability (Oswestry; n=158), and time loss from work (n=218) | 6 months |
| Coste et al 199414 | 103 patients with low back pain for <72 hours, consulting general practitioner (France) | Cohort study, with intervention by general practitioner | Pain (visual analogue scale), disability (French version of Roland Morris), time spent in bed, date of recovery, return to work | 8, 15, 30, 60, and 90 days |
| Dettori et al 199515 | 170 army employees with low back pain for <7 days presenting to army hospital (Germany) | Randomised controlled trial comparing flexion exercises, extension exercises, and control* (ice pack) | Pain (0-5), disability (Roland Morris), ability to return to full work, spinal mobility, satisfaction with care, recurrences | 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks and 12 months |
| Faas et al 199316; Faas et al 199517 | 473 patients with low back pain for <3 weeks, consulting general practitioner (Netherlands) | Randomised controlled trial comparing exercise, medical care, and placebo ultrasonography* | Pain (0-85), functional health status (Nottingham health profile), recurrences, medical care usage, days off work | 3 and 12 months |
| Fordyce et al 198618 | 107 patients with low back pain for <10 days, consulting general practitioner, emergency room, or orthopaedic clinics (United States) | Randomised controlled trial comparing exercises on pain contingent basis with exercises on time contingent basis | Sick or well score (composite score of work status, medical care usage, claims of impairment, pain drawings), activity levels, activities engaged in (activity pattern indicator) | 6 weeks and 12 months |
| Hazard et al 199619; Reid et al 199720 | 207 workers reporting occupational back injury within 11 days (United States) | Cohort study | Work status | 3 months |
| Hazard et al 200021 | 489 workers reporting occupational back injury within 11 days (United States) | Randomised controlled trial comparing educational pamphlet with control* (nil) | Work status, days off work | 3 and 6 months |
| Hides et al 199422; Hides et al 200123 | 41 patients with low back pain for <3 weeks presenting to emergency room (Australia) | Randomised controlled trial comparing stabilising exercises with medical care* | Pain (visual analogue scale), disability (Roland Morris), range of motion, activity, muscle atrophy, recurrences | 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks and 1 and 3 years |
| Klenerman et al 199524 | 300 patients with low back pain for <1 week, consulting general practitioner (United Kingdom) | Cohort study | Pain (0-10), disability (Oswestry) | 2 and 12 months |
| Malmivaara et al 199525 | 186 workers with low back pain for <3 weeks, consulting for occupational health care (Finland) | Randomised controlled trial comparing exercise, bed rest, and advice* | Pain (0-10), disability (Oswestry), sick days, health related quality of life (0-1), range of motion | 3 and 12 weeks |
| Rozenberg et al 200226 | 281 patients with low back pain for <72 hours, consulting general practitioner or rheumatologist (France) | Randomised controlled trial comparing bed rest with normal activity* | Pain (0-10), disability (Roland Morris), sick days, intensity of vertebral stiffness (Schober's test), recurrences | Day 6 or 7 and 1 and 3 months |
| Schiottz-Christensen et al 199927 | 524 patients with low back pain for <2 weeks, consulting general practitioner (Denmark) | Cohort study | Sick leave, sick days, functional recovery, complete recovery | 1, 6, and 12 months |
| Seferlis et al 19989; Seferlis et al 200028 | 180 patients with low back pain for <14 days, referred from general practitioner, occupational doctor, or emergency room (Sweden) | Randomised controlled trial comparing manual therapy, intensive training, and medical care*† | Pain (1-11), disability (Oswestry), physical examination, recurrences, sick leave | 1, 3, and 12 months |
| Sieben et al 200229 | 44 patients with low back pain for <2 weeks consulting general practitioner (Netherlands) | Cohort study | Pain (0-10), disability (Dutch version of Roland Morris), fear of movement (Tampa), thoughts about pain (Dutch version of pain catastrophising scale) | 3 and 12 months |
| Weber et al 199330 | 214 patients with sciatica for <14 days, referred by general practitioner or occupational doctor (Norway) | Randomised controlled trial comparing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (piroxicam) with placebo* | Pain (0-100), disability (Roland Morris), sick leave | 3 and 12 months |
*
Considered as control group for data extraction.
†
Outcomes were reported for whole study sample, so prognostic data based on outcomes of three groups.