title: Perceptive rehabilitation of patients with non-specific chronic low back pain: the role of body midline. A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surface for perceptive rehabilitation (Su-Per treatment) is a hopeful therapeutic system in the treatment of non-specific chronic low back pain (CLBP). During treatment, some patients poorly tolerate the presence of the less elastic cones at the back midline.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the importance of an increased awareness of body midline through higher stimulus at interspinous line during Su-Per treatment for non-specific CLBP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single-blind, randomized, controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient academic hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with non-specific CLBP, for at least 12 weeks before treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients were distributed in 2 groups: Group A (20 patients) received standard Su-Per treatment; Group B (20 patients) received Su-Per treatment without higher stimulus at interspinous line. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale and the Present Pain Intensity and Pain Rating Index of the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Disability was evaluated using the Oswestry Disability Index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both groups, a significant reduction of pain and disability scores was observed at the first follow-up (end of treatment), and was maintained at later evaluations (4-weeks, and 12-weeks follow up). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in all outcome measures at all time points (P>0.05 for all).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Su-Per treatment is a valid modality in a cognitive-perceptive therapeutic concept for non-specific CLBP. It does not necessarily require external stimulation of the body midline to be effective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Modifying the standard distribution of the cones, without less deformable cones along interspinous line, makes the Su-Per treatment more acceptable to patients.
authors.affiliation: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, La Sapienza University of Rome, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy - mariovetrano@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vetrano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pournajaf
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Vulpiani
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Santoboni
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Paolucci
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spadini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferretti
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Saraceni
mesh_terms: D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010812:Physical Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*