In this study, conventional physiotherapy was compared to physiotherapy with the addition of postural biofeedback.

First, the details.

• 47 people with chronic low back pain were randomly assigned to conventional physiotherapy with or without the addition of postural biofeedback.

And, the results.

• After 6 months, there were 21 dropouts.
• The participants with biofeedback had markedly improved status in visual analog pain scales, SF-36 survey, and range of motion.

The bottom line?
The authors concluded “that postural feedback is a useful adjunct to conventional physiotherapy of chronic low back pain participants.”

An earlier review of psychological treatments for chronic low back pain supports this assessment. Dr. Robert Kerns of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System reported, “Psychological interventions are not cures, but they do reduce pain and improve function, and they are important components in the treatment of people with chronic pain.”

7/21/08 22:19 JR