title: Efficacy of perceptive rehabilitation in the treatment of chronic nonspecific low back pain through a new tool: a randomized clinical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of a perceptive rehabilitative approach, based on a new device, with regard to pain and disability in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single blind, randomized, controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  An outpatient academic hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five patients with chronic low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were randomized into three groups. Twenty-five subjects received 10 sessions in one month, based on specific perceptive exercises that were performed on a suitably developed device. Twenty-five patients entered a Back School programme. Twenty-five patients comprised a control group that received the same medical and pharmacological assistance as the other groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pain was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale and McGill Pain Questionnaire. Disability was evaluated using the Oswestry Disability Index and Waddell Disability Index. All measurements were recorded before treatment, at the end of the study, and at 12 and 24 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  General pain relief was recorded in all the groups, which was elicited more quickly in the perceptive treatment group; significant differences in pain scores were observed at the end of treatment (P < 0.001 for visual analogue scale and P = 0.001 for Questionnaire) versus the other groups. Disability scores in the perceptive group did not differ significantly from those in the other group, whereas these scores significantly differed between Back School and control groups at the follow-ups (P < 0.01 for both scales).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perceptive rehabilitation has immediate positive effects on pain. Back School reduces disabilities at follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Movement and Brain Laboratory, Santa Lucia foundation, Rome, Italy. g.morone@hsantalucia.it
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morone
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iosa
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Paolucci
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fusco
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alcuri
authors.forename: Ennio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spadini
authors.forename: Vincenzo Maria
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Saraceni
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paolucci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010465:Perception; D011434:Proprioception; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult