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Mesothelioma: A Killer
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Advice as good as physiotherapy for back pain: study
Last Updated: 2004-09-24 10:08:43 -0400 (Reuters Health)
LONDON (Reuters) - Routine physiotherapy seems to be no better than expert advice at relieving mild lower back pain, British researchers reported on Friday.
Although patients who receive physiotherapy for back pain are more likely to report improvements than others with back pain, scientists from the University of Warwick in England said there is no proof of any long-term benefit.
"There is little evidence for the effectiveness of routine physiotherapy, electrotherapy, laser treatment or traction," Professor Sarah Stewart Brown said in a statement.
The researchers studied 286 patients who had mild to moderate lower back pain for more than six weeks. Half had physiotherapy and half received one session of advice and an assessment from a physiotherapist. The progress of both groups was assessed after 3, 6 and 12 months.
The researchers found no difference in disability scores between the two patient groups after 12 months.
Low back pain is a common complaint and one of the main reasons why people see their doctors. Some cases of back pain, which can be caused by an injury, accident, lifting a heavy object, moving suddenly or sitting in one position for a long time, can heal on their own over time.
Stewart Brown, who reported the findings in the British Medical Journal, said previous research suggests that exercise is one of the best treatments for back pain.
"Exercise programs that are graded to ensure improvements in cardiovascular or muscular strength are generally more beneficial than physiotherapy," she added.
SOURCE: British Medical Journal, September 25, 2004.
Copyright © 2004 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
Balance boards help prevent ankle sprains
Last Updated: 2004-09-23 15:43:36 -0400 (Reuters Health)
By Alison McCook
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Spending a few minutes each week on a balance board appears to help prevent ankles sprains in athletes with a history of the injury, new research reports.
A group of Dutch investigators found that, among male and female volleyball players with a history of ankle sprains, those who spent 5 minutes during each warm-up practicing a balance board training program were 60 percent less likely to experience ankle injuries during the season.
Lead study author Evert Verhagen of EMGO-Institute in Amsterdam told Reuters Health the program probably worked because of its "simplicity."
"It was a very minimal intervention that asked minimal time of the participants," Verhagen noted.
However, the researchers note that balance board-users with a history of knee injuries also showed a higher risk of knee problems, suggesting that the exercise may not be the best solution for people with current knee injuries.
"Even so, the use of such a program in volleyball is recommended for players with a history of ankle sprains because in volleyball the risk of ankle sprains outweighs the risk of knee injuries," they write in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Ankle injuries are an extremely common feature of a wide range of sports, and athletes who sprain their ankles are more likely to reinjure the same ankle, which can progress to a chronic problem.
Currently, many athletes use braces and tape to prevent ankle sprains. However, both can irritate the ankle, and tape can unwind during play and often needs to be fastened by a professional.
Balance boards consist of a board laid on top of a round device, requiring the use of balance to stay standing on the board. Currently, experts use the balance board to help patients rehabilitate after ankle sprains, to re-strengthen muscles and ligaments.
To test whether a balance board exercise program helps prevent ankle sprains in the first place, the researchers asked 1127 volleyball players to participate in the experiment during the 2001-2002 season, with half spending a few minutes on the program during each warm-up.
Exercises included standing with one leg on the balance board, moving on the balance board or throwing a ball while standing on the board.
The researchers found that balance board-users with a history of ankle sprains were less likely to reinjure themselves than non-users. People with no history of ankle sprains did not appear to benefit from the program.
Balance board-users were just as likely to experience other injuries, including injuries in the back, shoulder and upper extremities.
Moreover, board-users showed a higher risk of knee injuries. However, the authors note that this trend may have been due to chance, given that previous studies with the balance board showed no higher risk of this type of injury and athletes currently use the balance board to help them rehabilitate an injured knee.
However, the authors write that, as a result of strengthening the ankle, balance board-users may be "shifting the weakest link in the injury chain up to the knee joint," putting themselves at risk of another type of injury.
SOURCE: The American Journal of Sports Medicine, September 2004.
Copyright © 2004 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
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