Mindfulness-based stress reduction for low back pain. A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Pain Management
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a common intervention for various pain conditions.
• Existing systematic reviews primarily focus on general chronic pain, lacking specific reviews for low back pain.
• This study addresses the need for a focused review on MBSR's efficacy in low back pain management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for individuals experiencing low back pain.
• To evaluate MBSR's impact on pain intensity and back-specific disability.
• To assess the clinical importance of MBSR's effects in low back pain patients.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CAMBASE, PsycInfo) up to November 2011.
• Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing MBSR to control groups in low back pain patients were included.
• Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and clinical importance was evaluated for key outcomes.

Main Results:

• Three RCTs involving 117 chronic low back pain patients were analyzed.
• One RCT indicated short-term, clinically significant improvements in pain and disability for MBSR in failed back surgery syndrome.
• Two RCTs in older adults found no significant short-term or long-term benefits of MBSR for pain or disability compared to control groups.
• MBSR showed potential for improving pain acceptance in the short term, according to two RCTs.

Conclusions:

• Evidence for MBSR's effectiveness in improving pain intensity or disability in chronic low back pain is inconclusive.
• Limited evidence suggests MBSR may enhance pain acceptance.
• Further high-quality RCTs with larger samples, appropriate controls, and extended follow-up periods are necessary to draw definitive conclusions.