title: Effects of unstable shoes on chronic low back pain in health professionals: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of unstable shoes in reducing low back pain in health professionals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of a volunteer sample of 144 participants, 40 with nonspecific chronic low back pain were eligible and enrolled in this study. Participants were randomized to an intervention group, who wore unstable shoes (model MBT Fora), or a control group, who wore conventional sports shoes (model Adidas Bigroar). The participants had to wear the study shoes during their work hours, and at least 6 hours per workday, over a period of 6 weeks. The primary outcome was low back pain assessed on a Visual Analog Scale. The secondary outcomes were patient satisfaction, disability evaluated using Roland-Morris questionnaire and quality of life evaluated using EQ-VAS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intervention group showed a significant decrease in pain scores compared to the control group. The rate of satisfaction was higher in the intervention group (79%) compared to the control group (25%). There was no significant difference for the Roland-Morris disability questionnaire score and the EQ-VAS scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this clinical trial suggest that wearing unstable shoes for 6 weeks significantly decreases low back pain in patients suffering from chronic low back pain but had no significant effect on quality of life and disability scores.
authors.affiliation: Willy Taillard Laboratory of Kinesiology, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, 4, rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland; Division of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: stephane.armand@hcuge.ch.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Armand
authors.affiliation: Willy Taillard Laboratory of Kinesiology, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, 4, rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ziva
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tavcar
authors.affiliation: Willy Taillard Laboratory of Kinesiology, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, 4, rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland; Division of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Turcot
authors.affiliation: University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland, Physiotherapy, Geneva, Switzerland; Health Care Directorate, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Allet
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoffmeyer
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Genevay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059350:Chronic Pain; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012775:Shoes; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Low back pain; Randomized controlled trial; Shoes; Walking