Education and self-care of patients with low back pain

Two groups of patients with 'low back pain', comparable regarding sex, age and diagnosis, all hospitalized at the Hospital for Rheumatology, Kristiansand, for a period of 4-6 weeks, were treated as follows: Group I (209 (180) patients): Education program combined with practise of exercises and correct use of the back. Group II (190 (153) patients): Usual physiotherapeutic treatment methods (individual or group exercises in the charge of a physiotherapist). Further, both groups received similar swimming pool exercises and electrotherapy. Group I was studied on the basis of a questionnaire completed by patients before beginning the education program and both groups were studied on a similar basis after 12 months. Results are extracted from these questionnaires. In spite of various and extensive previous treatment (Table I), not many patients in group I had received information prior to the education program. Significantly more patients in group I than in group II stated that they had received tuition at our hospital (p less than 0.01) (Table II). Group I seemed to practise self-care more than group II and was statistically in less need of physiotherapy during the year after leaving the hospital (p less than 0.05). This seems to be beneficial for the patients and of economic importance for society at large. We conclude that education is important and has to be organized in the form of special lessons.