Many people suffering from low back pain also experience radiating leg pain, which is often associated with a poorer prognosis.
In a 2024 study, researchers from the University Medical Center Rotterdam, the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), and the Chiropractic Knowledge Hub examined the characteristics of patients with low back pain with and without radiating leg pain. They also investigated whether there were differences in treatment outcomes for the groups after participating in the GLA:D® Back programme.
The study found that patients with low back pain and radiating leg pain had a worse profile at baseline but achieved the same improvements as patients without radiating leg pain after participating in the GLA:D® Back programme. This suggests that structured exercise and patient education may be equally effective for both groups.
The improvements occurred primarily within the first three months and then stabilized.
The results support the use of the GLA:D® Back programme for patients with both low back pain alone and low back pain with radiating leg pain.
The researchers analysed data from 3,508 patients who participated in the GLA:D® Back programme between 2018 and 2022. Of these, 55% had low back pain only, while 45% also experienced radiating leg pain.
The study evaluated pain intensity, functional limitations, self-efficacy, and fear of movement at baseline and after 3, 6, and 12 months.
The data analysis showed that patients with radiating leg pain generally had higher pain intensity, greater functional impairment, and a higher risk of chronic pain at baseline. However, both groups experienced similar improvements in pain intensity, functional limitations, and fear of movement after participating in the GLA:D® Back programme. No significant change was observed in self-efficacy for any of the groups.
The researchers recommend further studies to compare the GLA:D® Back programme with standard treatments and to evaluate differences in effectiveness among different types of radiating leg pain.
A Khoshal Khorami, Alessandro Chiarotto, Alice Kongsted, Jan Hartvigsen, Bart W. Koes. Characteristics and outcomes of patients with low back pain with and without radiating leg pain following the GLA:D back program. Muskuloskeletal Science and Practice 2024.