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- Fors, Maria, 1987-
(author)
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Best Practice Physiotherapy for Patients with Low Back Pain in Primary Care : Clinical Outcomes and Explanatory Factors
- 2023
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Background: Clinical practice guidelines provide general recommendations informing best practice physiotherapy for low back pain (LBP). Despite increased research on LBP, the recommendations have barely changed over the last few decades and the burden of LBP remains. New research strategies have been suggested to further understand the complexity of factors influencing recovery of LBP. Several mechanisms are expected to underpin the benefits of physiotherapy care. How different factors influence and explain treatment outcome in patients in different phases of primary care pathway needs to be better understood for the development of better targeted LBP interventions.The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate if and how best practice physiotherapy primary care for patients with LBP can improve clinical outcome.Methods: The four papers in the thesis are based on two randomised controlled trials (RCT) evaluating best practice physiotherapy for patients with LBP in different phases of the primary care pathway reflecting the variation of patients’ needs. Two papers investigated pre-surgery physiotherapy compared to being on a waiting-list in patients with degenerative lumbar spine disorders who are surgical candidates (n = 197). Effects on walking ability and quadriceps femoris strength were evaluated. Associations between the pre-surgery physical factors with 1-year post-surgery physical activity (PA) level were analysed using multiple linear regression. The dose-response relationship was investigated comparing the effects of attending ≤11 treatment sessions with ≥12 treatment sessions. Multiple mediation analyses and conditional process analyses were used to explore physical and psychosocial factors as mediators and patients’ treatment expectations as a moderator of the treatment’s effects on disability, back pain intensity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and self-rated health.Two papers were based on a stepped cluster RCT, where a physiotherapy primary healthcare model for LBP (the BetterBack MoC) was regionally implemented. Patients seeking care for LBP were allocated to either the BetterBack MoC (after implementation) or to routine care (before implementation) (n = 467). In a prospective cohort study within the RCT, the associations between patients’ initial illness perceptions and outcomes in disability, back pain intensity, HRQoL, and self-care enablement (i.e., perceived ability to understand and cope with LBP) after 3 and 12 months were explored using stepwise linear regression. Single mediation analyses were used to test whether a priori hypothesised patients’ illness perceptions and self-care enablement at 3 months mediated effects in disability and pain at 6 months of care according to the BetterBack MoC compared to routine care. Exploratory mediation analyses were also used to compare guideline-adherent care with non-adherent care. Guideline-adherent care was defined as care that included education and exercise interventions and did not include non-evidence-based interventions, referral to specialist care, or imaging.Results: Small positive effects from pre-surgery physiotherapy were seen in walking ability and quadriceps femoris strength. No clear dose-response relationship could be demonstrated when comparing the effects of ≤11 treatment sessions with ≥12. Pre-surgery physical outcome measures together explained 27.5% of the variation in PA level 1-year post-surgery, mainly explained by the pre-surgery PA level. The effect of the pre-surgery physiotherapy on patients’ PA level partly explained the treatment’s effect on self-rated health. Furthermore, among biopsychosocial factors, self-efficacy related to activities of daily living (ADL) partly explained the effect on all outcomes. PA related fear avoidance beliefs partly explained the effects on pain and self-rated health. Patients’ treatment expectations moderated the effect in all outcomes. High expectations had a positive moderating effect, while expectation of full recovery had a suppressive effect. In patients seeking physiotherapy for LBP, negative initial prognosis and treatment expectations were associated with worse scores in several outcomes at 3- and 12-month follow-ups. Patients’ illness perceptions and self-care enablement did not explain the effects of care after implementing the BetterBack MoC. This was mainly due to the BetterBack MoC not having superior effects over routine care on the hypothesised mediators. Illness perceptions and self-care enablement at 3 months were associated with disability and pain at 6 months. Further, these factors partly explained the effects of guideline-adherent care in disability and pain.Conclusions: Patients’ illness perceptions, self-care enablement, ADL self-efficacy, and PA related fear-avoidance beliefs were supported to be potential factors explaining the effect on clinical outcomes of best practice physiotherapy for LBP in primary care. Patients’ initial expectations regarding the prognosis and treatment may influence prospective outcomes including patients’ self-care enablement. More specifically, pain and disability outcomes of best practice physiotherapy for patients seeking care for LBP may improve by targeting patients’ illness perceptions and self-care enablement. Patients who are surgical candidates can increase their physical capacity and walking related performance through best practice physiotherapy. In this pre-surgery phase, the treatment should include targeting patients’ ADL self-efficacy, PA related fear-avoidance beliefs, and PA level for improved disability, pain, and HRQoL.
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| 2. |
- Fors, Maria, 1987-, et al.
(author)
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Effects of pre-surgery physiotherapy on walking ability and lower extremity strength in patients with degenerative lumbar spine disorder : Secondary outcomes of the PREPARE randomised controlled trial
- 2019
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In: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2474. ; 20:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundDegenerative lumbar spine disorders are common among musculoskeletal disorders. When disabling pain and radiculopathy persists after adequate course of rehabilitation and imaging confirms compressive pathology, surgical decompression is indicated. Prehabilitation aiming to augment functional capacity pre-surgery may improve physical function and activity levels pre and post-surgery. This study aims to evaluate the effect and dose-response of pre-surgery physiotherapy on quadriceps femoris strength and walking ability in patients with degenerative lumbar spine disorders compared to waiting-list controls and their association with postoperative physical activity level.MethodIn this single blinded, 2-arm randomised controlled trial, 197 patients were consecutively recruited. Inclusion criteria were: MRI confirmed diagnosis and scheduled for surgery due to disc herniation, lumbar spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease or spondylolisthesis, ages 25-80 years. Patients were randomised to 9 weeks of pre-surgery physiotherapy or to waiting-list. Patient reported physical activity level, walking ability according to Oswestry Disability Index item 4, walking distance according to the SWESPINE national register and physical outcome measures including the timed ten-meter walk test, maximum voluntary isometric quadriceps femoris muscle strength, patient-rated were collected at baseline and follow-up. Parametric or non-parametric within and between group comparisons as well as multivariate regression was performed.ResultsPatients who received pre-surgery physiotherapy significantly improved in all variables from baseline to follow-up (p < 0.001 – p < 0.05) and in comparison to waiting-list controls (p < 0.001 – p < 0.028). Patients adhering to ≥12 treatment sessions significantly improved in all variables (p < 0.001 – p < 0.032) and those receiving 0-11 treatment session in only normal walking speed (p0.035) but there were no significant differences when comparing dosages. Physical outcome measures after pre-surgery physiotherapy together significantly explain 27.5% of the variation in physical activity level 1 year after surgery with pre-surgery physical activity level having a significant multivariate association.ConclusionPre-surgery physiotherapy increased walking ability and lower extremity strength in patients with degenerative lumbar spine disorders compared to waiting-list controls. A clear treatment dose-response response relationship was not found. These results implicate that pre-surgery physiotherapy can influence functional capacity before surgical treatment and has moderate associations with maintained postoperative physical activity levels mostly explained by physical activity level pre-surgery.Trial registrationNCT02454400. Trial registration date: August 31st 2015, retrospectively registered.
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| 3. |
- Fors, Maria, 1987-, et al.
(author)
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The association between patients' illness perceptions and longitudinal clinical outcome in patients with low back pain
- 2022
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In: PAIN Reports. - Philadelphia, PA, United States : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 2471-2531. ; 7:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: Illness perception is suggested to influence outcome in patients with low back pain (LBP). It is unknown if specific illness perceptions are of more importance for longitudinal outcomes, including development of self-management strategies.Objectives: This study explores whether patients' initial illness perceptions were associated with disability, pain, health-related quality of life, and self-care enablement outcomes in patients with LBP after 3 and 12 months.Methods: Four hundred sixty-seven consecutive patients seeking physiotherapeutic primary care for LBP were eligible to participate in this prospective cohort study, providing data at baseline and after 3 and 12 months (mean age 45 years, 56% women). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore whether patients' illness perceptions at baseline were associated with outcome in the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Numeric Rating Scale–LBP (NRS-LBP), EuroQol Five Dimensions, and Patient Enablement Instrument (PEI).Results: Stronger beliefs that the back problem will last a long time at baseline were associated with worse outcome in ODI, NRS-LBP, and PEI at 3 and 12 months and in EuroQol Five Dimensions at 12 months. Negative beliefs regarding treatment's ability to improve LBP were associated with worse outcome in NRS-LBP and PEI at 3 and 12 months and in ODI at 12 months.Conclusions: Illness perceptions regarding prognosis and treatment's ability to improve symptoms were the most prominent perceptions explaining several longitudinal clinical outcomes. These expectations should be addressed in an early stage in the delivery of interventions for LBP. These expectations were also important for patients' development of coping and self-management strategies.
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| 4. |
- Fors, Maria, 1987-, et al.
(author)
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What mediates treatment effects in a pre-surgery physiotherapy treatment in surgical candidates with degenerative lumbar spine disorders? : A mediation and conditional process analysis of the PREPARE randomized controlled trial
- 2021
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In: The Clinical Journal of Pain. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 0749-8047 .- 1536-5409. ; 3, s. 168-176
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: Treatment guidelines recommend targeting both physical and psychological factors in interventions for degenerative lumbar spine disorders. Studying treatment mechanisms gives information on key factors explaining outcome improvement which can refine treatments for future research. This study explores treatment mediators in a physiotherapy treatment on disability, pain intensity and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in surgical candidates with degenerative lumbar spine disorders compared to waiting-list controls. An additional aim was to evaluate patients´ expectation as a moderator of treatment outcome.Methods: Data collected from 197 patients in a single blinded randomized controlled trial comparing 9 weeks of multifaceted physiotherapy to waiting-list were used in this conditional process analysis. Analysis was carried out on group differences for change in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Pain Visual Analog Scale (VAS) back pain, EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) and EQ-VAS. The putative moderation role of expectations and mediation role of change in physical variables and psychosocial variables were tested.Results: Change in self-efficacy mediated improvement in all outcomes. Improvement in ODI was also mediated by change in depression, VAS was mediated by change in fear avoidance beliefs and EQ-VAS was mediated by change in activity level and fear avoidance beliefs. Improvements were moderated by patients´ treatment expectations.Discussion: Self-efficacy, fear avoidance beliefs, physical activity level and patients´ treatment expectations were found to be important factors explaining treatment effects. Self-efficacy was the consistent mediator for effects of the pre-surgical physiotherapy on disability, back pain intensity and HRQoL.
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| 5. |
- Schröder, Karin, 1966-, et al.
(author)
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Effectiveness and Quality of Implementing a Best Practice Model of Care for Low Back Pain (BetterBack) Compared with Routine Care in Physiotherapy : A Hybrid Type 2 Trial
- 2021
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In: Journal of Clinical Medicine. - : MDPI. - 2077-0383. ; 10:6, s. 1230-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Low back pain (LBP) occurs in all ages and first-line treatment by physiotherapists is common. The main aim of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing a best practice model of care for LBP (intervention group—BetterBackJ MoC) compared to routine physiotherapy care (control group) regarding longitudinal patient reported outcomes. The BetterBackJ MoC contains clinical guideline recommendations and support tools to facilitate clinician adherence to guidelines. A secondary exploratory aim was to compare patient outcomes based on the fidelity of fulfilling a clinical practice quality index regarding physiotherapist care. A stepped cluster randomized design nested patients with LBP in the three clusters which were allocated to control (n = 203) or intervention (n = 264). Patient reported measures were collected at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months and analyzed with mixed model regression. The primary outcome was between-group changes from baseline to 3 months for pain intensity and disability. Implementation of the BetterBackJ MoC did not show any between-group differences in the primary outcomes compared with routine care. However, the intervention group showed significantly higher satisfaction at 3 months and clinically meaningful greater improvement in LBP illness perception at 3 months and quality of life at 3 and 6 months but not in patient enablement and global impression of change compared with the control group. Physiotherapists’ care that adhered to all clinical practice quality indices resulted in an improvement of most patient reported outcomes with a clinically meaningful greater improved LBP illness perception at 3 month and quality of life at 3 and 6 months, significantly greater improvement in LBP illness perception, pain and satisfaction at 3 and 6 months and significantly better enablement at all time points as well as better global improvement outcomes at 3 months compared with non-adherent care. This highlights the importance of clinical guideline based primary care for improving patient reported LBP outcomes.
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