Orthotic insoles do not prevent physical stress-induced low back pain.
Orthotic insoles are suggested to prevent low back pain. This randomized controlled study assessed if customised orthotic insoles prevent low back pain. Healthy military conscripts (n = 228; mean age 19 years, range 18-29) were randomly assigned to use either customised orthotic insoles (treatment group, n = 73) or nothing (control group, n = 147). The main outcome measure was low back pain requiring a physician visit and resulting in minimum 1 day suspension from military duty. Twenty-four (33%) treated subjects and 42 (27%) control subjects were suspended from duty due to low back pain (p = 0.37; risk difference 4.3%; 95% CI: -8.7 to 17.3%). Mean suspension duration was 2 days (range 1-7) in both groups. Four (5%) treated subjects and eight (5%) control subjects were released from duty due to persistent low back pain (p = 0.92; risk difference 0%; 95% CI: -6 to 6%). Use of orthotic insoles is therefore not recommended to prevent physical stress-related low back pain.
Mattila
Ville M
VM
Centre of Military Medicine, Lahti, Finland. Ville.Mattila@uta.fi
Sillanpää
Petri
P
Salo
Tuula
T
Laine
Heikki-Jussi
HJ
Mäenpää
Heikki
H
Pihlajamäki
Harri
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012775:Shoes; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D016896:Treatment Outcome