Retrospective Chart Review of Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression as a Therapeutic Modality for Low Back Pain

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Pain Management
• Physical Medicine

Background:

• Low back pain (LBP) is a global health issue causing disability and high healthcare costs.
• Many LBP patients do not respond to surgery and risk opioid dependency.
• Nonsurgical spinal decompression (NSSD) is underutilized due to limited evidence and insurance barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of NSSD for LBP.
• To assess NSSD's impact on pain intensity, neurological function, and daily activities.
• To analyze NSSD outcomes across diverse patient populations.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 267 patients from 7 community clinics.
• Patients received ≥20 NSSD sessions over 6-8 weeks.
• Data collected included pain scores, neurological tests (reflex, myotome, dermatome), and activities of daily living (ADLs).

Main Results:

• Significant improvements observed in all measured outcomes.
• Average pain reduction of 4.4 points (P < .001), with 90.5% experiencing relief.
• Marked improvements in neurological function (60.9-77.6%) and ADLs (ORs 4.0-40.7, P < .001).

Conclusions:

• NSSD is an effective conservative treatment for LBP, improving pain, neurological deficits, and function.
• NSSD presents a cost-effective alternative to surgery, reducing risks of opioid dependency and complications.
• Further research, including RCTs, is needed to support NSSD as a first-line LBP therapy.