Back Talk

Research into the best treatment of back pain presses forward all over the world. As you are aware if you have read this column in the past, the recently published study in the Annals of Internal Medicine by Dutch researchers showed that a gradually increasing exercise regime is better than rest for back pain. They also concluded that the graduated exercise did not necessarily decrease the patients back pain; it just allowed them to carry on their life activities with less disability.

So, the next logical question would be: What can be done to decrease the pain as well as the disability? Fortunately there is further research that solidly answers this question.
A very important new research article entitled " A RAMDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL COMPARING FLEXION- DISTRACTION PROCEDURES WITH ACTIVE EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN" has been published by Dr. R. Gudavalli et. al.

This study was conducted through a federal (NIH) grant to compare two well-defined treatments for low back pain: active exercise program (ATEP) and flexion distraction (FD) chiropractic treatment. This study was preformed by medical doctors, chiropractic doctors and physical therapists in university and clinical settings.

A total of 235 individuals with low back pain lasting longer than 3 months were randomly selected to receive either FD or ATEP. The FD treatment consisted of the application of flexion and traction applied to specific regions of the low back, administered by chiropractors with the aid of a specifically designed manipulation table.
The ATEP treatment included stabilizing and flexibility exercises, the use of modalities, and cardiovascular training administered by physical therapists.

Results: All the study patients regardless of the treatment given perceived less pain. However, those subjects that were allocated to the chiropractic flexion-distraction manipulation group had significantly greater relief from pain than those allocated to the exercise program. Further analysis indicated that patients categorized as chronic, with moderate to severe symptoms improved the most with the FD.

I have been involved in the treatment of patients and teaching of chiropractors in the use of flexion-distraction for 19 years. The results of this study continue to verify what has been known for many years; flexion-distraction combined with proper exercise protocols yield excellent results. Drugs, injections and surgery are the next step after the more conservative treatments have failed to relieve the lower back pain.


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Back Talk By Lee Hazen, DC Research into the best treatment of back pain presses forward all over the world. As you are aware if you have read this column in the past, the recently published study in the Annals of Internal Medicine by Dutch researchers showed that a gradually increasing exercise regime is better than rest for back pain. They also concluded that the graduated exercise did not necessarily decrease the patients back pain; it just allowed them to carry on their life activities with less disability. So, the next logical question would be: What can be done to decrease the pain as well as the disability? Fortunately there is further research that solidly answers this question. A very important new research article entitled " A RAMDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL COMPARING FLEXION- DISTRACTION PROCEDURES WITH ACTIVE EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN" has been published by Dr. R. Gudavalli et. al. This study was conducted through a federal (NIH) grant to compare two well-defined treatments for low back pain: active exercise program (ATEP) and flexion distraction (FD) chiropractic treatment. This study was preformed by medical doctors, chiropractic doctors and physical therapists in university and clinical settings. A total of 235 individuals with low back pain lasting longer than 3 months were randomly selected to receive either FD or ATEP. The FD treatment consisted of the application of flexion and traction applied to specific regions of the low back, administered by chiropractors with the aid of a specifically designed manipulation table. The ATEP treatment included stabilizing and flexibility exercises, the use of modalities, and cardiovascular training administered by physical therapists. Results: All the study patients regardless of the treatment given perceived less pain. However, those subjects that were allocated to the chiropractic flexion-distraction manipulation group had significantly greater relief from pain than those allocated to the exercise program. Further analysis indicated that patients categorized as chronic, with moderate to severe symptoms improved the most with the FD. I have been involved in the treatment of patients and teaching of chiropractors in the use of flexion-distraction for 19 years. The results of this study continue to verify what has been known for many years; flexion-distraction combined with proper exercise protocols yield excellent results. Drugs, injections and surgery are the next step after the more conservative treatments have failed to relieve the lower back pain.