Chiropractic Continuing Education: Exercise Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain | CCEDseminars Posted on Oct 19, 2023
Understanding Chronic Low Back Pain | Chiropractic Continuing Education
CCEDseminars | Chiropractic Continuing Education HQThe Global Challenge of Chronic Low Back Pain
Chronic low back pain has been a persistent global health challenge for several decades, causing significant disability and incurring substantial healthcare costs. To address this issue, healthcare professionals have explored various treatment approaches, including exercise therapy. Stay abreast of research trends with chiropractic continuing education and blog post from CCEDseminars!
The Scope of the Systematic Review
Assessing the Impact of Exercise Treatment
The primary objective of the systematic review was to evaluate the effects of exercise treatment on pain and functional limitations in adults suffering from chronic non-specific low back pain. This assessment included comparisons to no treatment, usual care, placebo, and other conservative treatments. Click HERE for incredible chiropractic continuing education opportunities related to exercise therapy!
Extensive Search and Inclusion Criteria
Comprehensive Search Methods
To ensure a thorough evaluation, the review employed a comprehensive search strategy that encompassed various databases, including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PEDro, SPORTDiscus, and trials registries such as ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Citation searching of relevant systematic reviews was also conducted. The review considered data from trials up to 27 April 2018. Stay on the look-out for our new course category for chiropractic continuing education, Research Trends!
Key Findings
Benefits of Exercise Therapy
The review incorporated data from 249 trials on exercise treatment, conducted across different regions. Notably, exercise therapy demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing chronic low back pain when compared to no treatment, usual care, or placebo, particularly in terms of pain outcomes. The impact was clinically significant, showcasing the potential of exercise as a valuable treatment approach.
Comparing Exercise to Other Conservative Treatments
Exercise vs. Alternative Treatments
In contrast to other conservative treatments, exercise therapy showed improvements in both pain and functional limitations. While the effects were observed to be small, this approach proved beneficial when compared to alternative treatments. Subgroup analysis revealed exercise therapy's potential superiority over advice or education alone, as well as electrotherapy, in managing chronic low back pain.
Assessing Adverse Effects
Considering Safety in Treatment
The review also considered the safety aspect of exercise therapy. Adverse effects were reported in a minority of exercise groups, with the majority being minor, such as muscle soreness. This suggests that exercise therapy is generally well-tolerated by participants.
Authors' Conclusions
Moderate-Certainty Evidence for Pain Relief
In conclusion, the systematic review found moderate-certainty evidence that exercise therapy is likely effective in treating chronic low back pain, especially in reducing pain levels compared to no treatment, usual care, or placebo. While the effect on functional limitations was observed to be small, exercise therapy showcased improvements in both pain and functional limitations when compared to other conservative treatments.
Stay informed and proceed with your chiropractic continuing education with CCEDseminars as we bring you the latest research and advancements in the field. Explore the potential of exercise therapy and enhance your chiropractic practice to better serve patients with chronic low back pain.
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