2022 Volume 13 Issue 6 Pages 881-889
Introduction: The effects of physical therapy on elderly patients with adult spinal deformity with chronic low back pain have been observed sporadically, and the characteristics of patients who can be expected to show improvement are unknown. In this study, the patients characteristics associated with the improvement effect of physical therapy focusing on exercise therapy were verified, while the effect of physical therapy was verified.
Methods: Visual analogue scale (VAS), Six-minute work test (6 MWT), Timed Up and go test (TUG), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association back pain evaluation questionnaire (JOABPEQ) were evaluated before and after the intervention in 53 patients who had received 3 months of physical therapy. On statistical analysis, (1) verification of the intervention effect, (2) verification of the difference of various evaluation items before the intervention, and (3) the cutoff values of the items for which significance was found in (2) were performed.
Results: The VAS was improved in 22 patients (41%), and more than 1 domain of JOABPEQ was improved in 44 patients (83%). In the comparison before and after the intervention, significant improvements were seen in all items except for TUG. Of the various evaluations before the intervention, the VAS and 6 MWT were identified as being associated with improvement, with cutoff values of 53.5 and 243, respectively.
Conclusions: The results suggest that 3 months of physical therapy for elderly patients with adult spinal deformity with chronic low back pain can reduce low back pain, improve walking ability, and improve health-related quality of life. In addition, a VAS of over 52 mm and a 6 MWT of over 242 m were associated with improvement by physical therapy.
