Pilot Study on Therapeutic Horticulture for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Mixed Methods Study

Area of Science:

• Integrative medicine
• Rehabilitation science
• Environmental psychology

Background:

• Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of disability worldwide.
• Therapeutic Horticulture (TH) utilizes gardening and nature for therapy.
• TH may offer physical and psychological benefits for LBP patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess patient interest in TH for chronic LBP management.
• Quantify changes in LBP, functional tasks, and anxiety following a TH session.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods design: cross-sectional survey (n=170) and pilot experimental (n=9) groups.
• Participants received care for LBP at a tertiary care spine center.
• Intervention: 1-hour TH session involving herb propagation and harvesting.

Main Results:

• 68% of LBP patients expressed interest in learning more about TH.
• Pilot TH session showed significant improvements in anxiety (P=.017) and spine mobility (flexion P=.003, left rotation P=.005).
• Participants reported TH improved overall health, spine motion, and reduced pain.

Conclusions:

• LBP patients may be receptive to TH as a complementary therapy.
• Acute TH appears enjoyable and beneficial for reducing anxiety and improving spine function.
• Further research with larger, diverse populations is warranted to explore TH efficacy.