Compliance and subjective relief by corset treatment in chronic low back pain

The aim of this questionnaire-based 12-month follow-up study of 113 patients was to elucidate patient compliance and subjective help achieved with a first, elastic or semirigid corset in chronic, idiopathic low back pain. Subjective help obtained from the corset was reported as excellent or good in 37% of the returned questionnaires. A total of 60% reported having worn the corset even during the preceding month. Low semirigid and elastic models were found to be better by the males and high semirigid ones by the females (p less than 0.001). Age, height, weight, body mass index, retirement or physical strenuousness of work showed no statistically significant correlation with the subjective relief gained from the corset. It is important that sufficient time be allocated to fitting the corset and that adequate information be provided about wearing the brace and about suitable trunk exercises.