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A Third of Patients with Chronic Back Pain Recover Within a Year
A third of patients may completely recover from chronic lower back pain by 9 months, according to a BMJ study.
Researchers enrolled some 400 patients who presented to general practitioners, physiotherapists, or chiropractors soon after experiencing low back pain and who had persistent pain at 3 months. The patients were followed for 1 year. By 9 months, some 35% had fully recovered (i.e., they were pain-free, had no back-related disability, and had fully returned to work), and by 12 months, 41% had.
The following groups were at increased risk for delayed recovery: those with previous sick leave related to low back pain, high disability levels at enrollment, lower education levels, and a higher perceived risk for persistent pain.
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BMJ article (Free)
Published in Physician's First Watch October 8, 2009
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