TABLE 6.
Characteristics of Participants With Low Back Pain at Baseline Randomized to Classification-Specific Treatment or Non Classification-Specific Treatment Condition
| Treatment/Classification Subgroupa
|
Statistic Value | p-value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSb, Rot (n =30) | CSb, Ext-Rot (n = 16) | NCsc, Rot (n= 30) | NCsc, Ext-Rot (n= 22) | |||
| Demographic Variables | ||||||
|
| ||||||
| Male, % | 50 | 63 | 57 | 36 | χ2(3) = 2.81 | .42 |
| White race, % | 90 | 75 | 77 | 91 | χ2(3) = 3.68 | .30 |
| Age (SD), y | 42 (11) | 45 (11) | 42 (11) | 43 (11) | F(3,97) = .35 | .79 |
| Body mass index (SD), kg/m2 | 24 (3) | 25 (3) | 26 (3) | 26 (3) | F(3,97) = 1.11 | .35 |
| Married, % | 63 | 50 | 77 | 73 | χ2(3) = 3.88 | .27 |
| Completed at least some college, % | 93 | 94 | 96 | 90 | χ2(3) = .62 | .89 |
| Employment status, % | ||||||
| Employed full-time | 77 | 75 | 70 | 82 | χ2(12) = 6.10 | .91 |
| Employed part-time | 10 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | ||
| Student | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Other employment status | 7 | 12.5 | 7 | 4 | ||
| Not employed | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
|
| ||||||
| LBP-Related Variables | ||||||
|
| ||||||
| Duration of LBP (SD), y | 12 (10) | 12 (9) | 8 (6) | 13 (9) | F(3,94) = 1.05 | .37 |
| Original cause of LBP known, % | 43 | 50 | 63 | 36 | χ2(3) = 4.26 | .23 |
| LBP symptoms constant, % | 43 | 38 | 53 | 18 | χ2(3) = 6.78 | .08 |
| Location of symptoms, % | ||||||
| Low back only | 80 | 88 | 93 | 77 | χ2(3) = 3.23 | .35 |
| Low back & proximal LE | 20 | 13 | 7 | 23 | ||
| Number of acute flare-ups in the prior 12 months, % | ||||||
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | χ2(9) = 1.94 | .22 |
| 1–3 | 48 | 50 | 55 | 52 | ||
| 4–6 | 24 | 36 | 30 | 7 | ||
| 7–9 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 7 | ||
| 10+ | 28 | 7 | 10 | 34 | ||
| Prior treatment for LBP, % | 73 | 56 | 77 | 86 | χ2(3) = 4.53 | .21 |
| Medication use for LBP, % | 67 | 56 | 80 | 68 | χ2(3) = 3.01 | .39 |
| Activity that makes LBP worst, % | ||||||
| Sitting | 43 | 38 | 37 | 18 | χ2(18) = 21.66 | .25 |
| Standing | 23 | 38 | 10 | 27 | ||
| Face lying | 13 | 6 | 30 | 14 | ||
| Back lying | 3 | 0 | 7 | 9 | ||
| Walking | 3 | 6 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Combination of activities | 12 | 6 | 3 | 27 | ||
| Other | 3 | 6 | 7 | 5 | ||
|
| ||||||
| Outcome Measures | ||||||
|
| ||||||
| modified Oswestry Disability Index (SD), 0–100% | 22 (9) | 18 (8) | 25 (7) | 24 (10) | F(3,96) = 2.07 | .11 |
| Numeric Rating Scale of pain intensity (SD) | ||||||
| Current | 3 (2) | 3 (2) | 3 (2) | 3 (2) | F(3,97) = .82 | .49 |
| Average over prior 7 days | 4 (2) | 4 (2) | 4 (2) | 4 (1) | F(3,97) = .20 | .90 |
| Worst over prior 7 days | 6 (2) | 6 (2) | 6 (2) | 6 (2) | F(3,97) = .20 | .90 |
| Best over prior 7 days | 2 (1) | 2 (2) | 2 (1) | 2 (1) | F(3,97) = .61 | .61 |
| Days of LBP-related time off (SD) | 12 (26) | 5 (10) | 7 (10) | 3 (4) | F(3,97) = 1.70 | .20 |
| Baecke Habitual Activity measure (SD), 3–15 | 8 (2) | 8 (1) | 8 (1) | 8 (1) | F(3,93) = .18 | .91 |
| Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire Subscales | ||||||
| Physical Activity (SD), 0–24 | 12 (4) | 13 (7) | 13 (3) | 14 (5) | F(3,97) = 1.01 | .39 |
| Work Subscale (SD), 0–42 | 13 (8) | 13 (10) | 14 (7) | 11 (7) | F(3,87) = .491 | .69 |
| SF-36 Component Summary Scores | ||||||
| Physical (SD), 0–100% | 46 (8) | 48 (6) | 43 (8) | 47 (7) | F(3,97) = 2.27 | .09 |
| Mental (SD), 0–100% | 56 (6) | 53 (8) | 55 (8) | 54 (7) | F(3,97) = .68 | .56 |
| Satisfaction with care (SD), 15–75de | 67 (5) | 63 (8) | 62 (8) | 63 (8) | F(3,87) = 3.26 | .03 |
Boldface indicates a significant difference between groups.
a
Low back pain classification subgroups within each treatment condition (Classification-Specific and Non Classification-Specific). Two participants classified as Flex-Rot are not included in sample because there were not enough people to include in the analyses.
b
Classification-Specific.
c
Non Classification-Specific.
d
Higher score indicates more satisfaction with care.
e
Measured at the end of the 6 week treatment phase.