A brief intervention utilising visual feedback reduces pain and enhances tactile acuity in CLBP patients.
BACKGROUND
Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a serious health problem in industrialised countries and the efficacy of current treatment options is unsatisfying.


OBJECTIVE
The present study examines the effects of a combined intervention that utilizes visual feedback, motion and sensory discrimination training in CLBP patients.


METHODS
Thirty patients of an outpatient orthopaedic rehabilitation unit were randomly assigned to either feedback or control group. In addition to standard treatment, patients of the feedback group received 6 feedback sessions where they watched the image of their back during a brief 2-point discrimination training and, after that, while they were tilting their pelvis up and down on the left and right side using their lumbar musculus multifidus solely. The control group received 6 sessions consisting of 2 units of physiotherapy, relaxation training and movement training (walking) each.


RESULTS
A significant effect on self-reported pain and sensory discrimination threshold could be found for the feedback intervention, while, as expected, other pain related variables, like pain anxiety, pain vigilance, depression and cognitive appraisal of pain remained unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings imply that very simple feedback interventions without major technical requirements could be a valuable supplement to standard treatment in CLBP.
Department of Psychiatry, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany.|Department of Orthopaedic Rehabilitation, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany.|Department of Physiological Psychology, Otto-Friedrich University Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany.
Wolfgang
W
Trapp
Department of Orthopaedic Rehabilitation, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany.
Matthias
M
Weinberger
Department of Orthopaedic Rehabilitation, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany.
Sarah
S
Erk
Department of Orthopaedic Rehabilitation, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany.
Benedikt
B
Fuchs
Department of Orthopaedic Rehabilitation, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany.
Marcus
M
Mueller
Centre for Psychiatry, Justus Liebig University School of Medicine Gießen, Gießen, Germany.
Bernd
B
Gallhofer
Department of Psychiatry, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany.
Göran
G
Hajak
Department for Psychology I, Institute of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Andrea
A
Kübler
Department of Physiological Psychology, Otto-Friedrich University Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany.
Stefan
S
Lautenbacher
D000328:Adult; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D056228:Feedback, Sensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D055698:Touch Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology
Low back pain; cortical reorganisation; tactile acuity; training; visual feedback