Table 3.
Study Characteristics
| Authors | Type of LBP | Sample size | Age | Interventions | Outcome Measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beyerman et al, 200647 | Secondary to osteoarthritis (chronic) | 252 | Not reported | TG: SMT + Moist heat | Lumbar spine range of motion Oswestry VAS |
| CG: Moist heat | |||||
| Bronfort et al, 200845 | Chronic (≥6 weeks) | 174 | 20-60 y | TG: SMT + Strengthening exercise | VAS Roland-Morris COOP |
| CG: Conventional medical care + Strengthening exercise | |||||
| CG: SMT + stretching exercise | |||||
| Childs et al, 200443 | Not reported | 131 | 18-60 y | TG: SMT + Exercise | Oswestry |
| CG: Exercise | |||||
| Eisenberg et al, 200762 | Acute | 444 | 18 y and over | TG: Conventional medical care + Choice of acupuncture, chiropractic or massage therapy | NRS Roland-Morris Self-generated satisfaction scale Cost |
| CG: conventional medical care | |||||
| Gunn et al, 198060 | Chronic | 56 | 25-56 y | TG: Acupuncture (dry needling) + Conventional medical care | Self-generated pain and work status questionnaire |
| CG: Conventional medical care | |||||
| Hancock et al, 200751 | Acute | 240 | Not reported | TG: SMT + Conventional medical care | VAS for number of days to recovery |
| CG: Conventional medical care + Placebo SMT | |||||
| CG: SMT + Placebo conventional medical care | |||||
| CG: Placebo SMT + Placebo conventional medical care | |||||
| Hurley et al, 200448 | Sub-acute | 240 | 18-65 y | TG: SMT + Electric muscle stimulation | Roland-Morris VAS MPQ EQ-5D SF-36 Self-generated questionnaire for LBP recurrence, work absenteeism, exercise participation, analgesic medication consumption, and additional healthcare use |
| CG: SMT | |||||
| CG: Electric muscle stimulation | |||||
| Hurwitz et al, 200249 | Not reported | 341 | 18 years and overy | TG: SMT with physiotherapy modalities | NRS for pain Roland-Morris |
| CG: SMT | |||||
| Itoh et al, 200957 | Chronic | 32 | 61-81 y | TG: Acupuncture + TENS | VAS Roland-Morris |
| CG: Waiting list control | |||||
| CG: Acupuncture | |||||
| CG: TENS | |||||
| Jüni et al, 200950 | Acute | 104 | 20-55 y | TG: Conventional medical care + SMT | NRS Analgesic use |
| CG: Conventional medical care | |||||
| Leibing et al, 200256 | Chronic | 131 | 18-65 y | TG: Acupuncture + Active physiotherapy | VAS Pain Disability Index |
| CG: Active physiotherapy | |||||
| CG: Sham acupuncture + Active physiotherapy | |||||
| Mayer et al, 200561 | Acute | 122 | 18-55 y | TG: Heat-wrap therapy + Exercise | Rating of perceived capacity-spine |
| CG: Heat-wrap therapy | |||||
| CG: Exercise | |||||
| CG: Control (booklet) | |||||
| Meng et al, 200358 | Chronic | 55 | 60 y and over | TG: Acupuncture + Conventional medical care | Roland-Morris |
| CG: Conventional medical care | |||||
| Mohseni-Bandpei et al, 200644 | Chronic | 120 | 18-55 y | TG: SMT + Exercise | VAS Oswestry Lumbar spine range of motion Surface electromyography Lumbar extension muscle endurance |
| CG: Ultrasound + Exercise | |||||
| Molsberger et al, 200259 | Chronic | 186 | 20-60 y | TG: Acupuncture + Conventional orthopedic therapy | VAS Self-generated effectiveness of treatment Lumbar spine range of motion |
| CG: Conventional orthopedic therapy | |||||
| CG: Sham acupuncture + Conventional orthopedic therapy | |||||
| Niemistö et al, 200353 | Chronic | 204 | 24-46 y | TG: SMT + Stabilizing exercise + Conventional medical care | VAS Oswestry Frequency of LBP |
| CG: Conventional medical care | |||||
| Ongley et al, 198752 | Chronic | 81 | 21-70 y | TG: Forceful SMT + Injection of dextrose-glycerine-phenol into soft tissues + High dose of anesthesia | VAS Analgesic use Roland-Morris Adverse events |
| CG: Low dose of anesthesia + Less forceful SMT + Placebo injection | |||||
| UK BEAM Trial 200446 | Not reported | 1,334 | 18-65 y | TG: SMT + exercise | Roland-Morris Von Korff scales Back beliefs questionnaire Fear avoidance belief questionnaire SF -36 EQ-5D |
| CG: Conventional medical care | |||||
| CG: Exercise | |||||
| CG: SMT | |||||
| Weiner et al, 200863 | Chronic | 65 | 65 y and over | TG: Acupuncture (percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [PENS]) + General conditioning and aerobic exercise (GCAE) | MPQ Roland-Morris |
| CG: PENS | |||||
| CG: Sham PENS | |||||
| CG: Sham PENS + GCAE | |||||
| Yeung et al, 200355 | Chronic | 52 | 18-75 y | TG: Exercise + Electro-acupuncture | NRS Aberdeen |
| CG: Exercise | |||||
| Zhang et al, 200854 | Acute | 36 | Not reported | TG: SMT + Biofreeze topical application | VAS Roland-Morris Low back muscle surface electromyography Heart rate variability |
| CG: SMT | |||||
Abbreviations: CG, control group; COOP, Dartmouth Primary Care Cooperative chart system; EQ-5D, European Quality of Life; LBP, low back pain; MPQ, McGill Pain Questionairre; NRS, numeric rating scale; SF-12 & 36: Short Form 12 & 36; SMT, spinal manipulative therapy; TENS, transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation; TG, treatment group.