Effectiveness of Group GDS and Individual GDS for Treatment of Low Back Pain in Primary Care

The Effectiveness of the Physiotherapy Techniques Group GDS and Individual GDS for the Treatment of Nonspecific Low Back Pain in Primary Care. A Cluster, Randomized, Controlled Trial.

A cluster, randomized, controlled clinical trial, where the hypothesis is that Group GDS and Individual GDS are effective in the treatment of nonspecific low back pain. The clusters will be the participating physiotherapy departments in primary care who treat patients with low back pain. In each physiotherapy department there will be 3 groups: education group, Group GDS and Individual GDS. Patients will be followed for 12 months. Variables will be: demographic,intensity of pain, disability, quality of life, patient satisfaction, medication intake for current episode, non-pharmacologic treatment for current episode, co-morbidity, diagnostic tests, sick leave, and habitual physical activity. The questionnaires to be used are: Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire, PI-NRS, VAS, SF-12 and EQ-5d.

Inclusion Criteria:

• diagnosed with nonspecific low back pain by the primary care physician
• more than or equal to 18 and less than or equal to 65 years of age

Exclusion Criteria:

• not signing the informed consent form
• pregnancy
• diagnosis of inflammatory rheumatologic disease, cancer, or fibromyalgia
• signs for suspicion of fibromyalgia
• having red flags for systemic disease
• presenting criteria for urgent referral to surgery
• presenting criteria for non-urgent referral to surgery
• inability to read, understand, or follow verbal orders (dementia,blindness, doesn´t know how to read)
• bedridden
• having received physiotherapy in last 12 months