Does folk medicine work? A randomized clinical trial on patients with prolonged back pain.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether traditional bone-setting or continuous light exercise therapy could case back pain and improve function better than ordinary physiotherapy.


METHODS
Observer-blinded, randomized clinical trial with a 6-month follow-up.


METHODS
An outpatient institution for folk medicine research.


METHODS
Of 147 back pain patients recruited from local health centers and by newspaper announcements, 132 were found eligible (non-retired-no contraindications to manipulation) and entered. A final 114 (one dropout) with back pain for longer than 7 weeks were included in this intent to treat analysis.


METHODS
Bone-setting, guidance for continuous light back movements or physiotherapy for up to ten 1-hour sessions during 6 weeks.


METHODS
Spinal mobility and muscular performance. Back pain assessed by visual analog scales (VAS).


RESULTS
The physical measures changed only modestly, from one tenth to half of standard deviation, while the VAS was halved. The thoracolumbar side-bending, the modified Schober, and the VAS were significantly better improved by bone-setting than by exercise but not better than by physiotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Neither bone-setting nor exercise differed significantly from physiotherapy, but bone-setting improved lateral and forward bending of the spine and back pain more than did exercise.
Hemmilä
H M
HM
Folk Medicine Centre, Kaustines, Finland.
Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi
S M
SM
Levoska
S
S
Puska
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001416:Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008349:Manipulation, Orthopedic; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D016037:Single-Blind Method