Physiotherapy management of cancer-related fatigue: a survey of UK current practice.

Purpose: To establish physiotherapy management of cancer-related fatigue (CRF), in particular, to determine physiotherapy exercise management of CRF.

Methods: All physiotherapist members of the UK Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Oncology and Palliative Care (ACPOPC) received a questionnaire.

Results: The response rate was 65% (223/341).

Physiotherapists' use of advice and exercise for the management of chronic low back pain: a national survey.

The objective of the study was to establish the specific use of advice and exercise by physiotherapists, for the management of chronic low back pain (LBP). A questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of 600 members of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists. Open and closed questions were used to obtain information on treatments provided to chronic LBP patients.

The effectiveness of motorised lumbar traction in the management of LBP with lumbo sacral nerve root involvement: a feasibility study.

Background: Traction is commonly used for the treatment of low back pain (LBP), predominately with nerve root involvement; however its benefits remain to be established. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial to compare the difference between two treatment protocols (manual therapy, exercise and advice, with or without traction) in the management of acute/sub acute LBP with 'nerve root' involvement.

Methods: 30 LBP patients with nerve root pain were recruited and randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups.

Chronic low back pain: patients' experiences, opinions and expectations for clinical management.

Purpose: To explore the experiences, opinions and treatment expectations of chronic low back pain (LBP) patients in order to identify what components of treatment they consider as being of most value.

Method: Three stand-alone focus groups were convened. All participants were experiencing chronic non-specific LBP (>3 months).

Advice for the management of low back pain: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials.

To synthesise the evidence relating to the effectiveness of advice, the relevance of its content and frequency, and to compare the advice being offered to acute, subacute and chronic low back pain (LBP) patients. A systematic review of Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) using advice, either alone or with another intervention. The QUOROM guidelines and the Cochrane Collaboration Back Review Group Guidelines for Systematic Reviews were followed throughout: methodological assessment identified RCTs of 'high' or 'medium' methodological quality, based on their inclusion of at least 50% of the specified internal validity criteria.

Current use of lumbar traction in the management of low back pain: results of a survey of physiotherapists in the United Kingdom.

Objective: To identify the current use of traction and the types of patients, treatment parameters, and treatment modalities used in conjunction with traction.

Design: Postal survey, with 4 sections: professional characteristics of respondent, current use of traction, patient selection, and treatment parameters.

Setting: Musculoskeletal outpatient departments (private and nonprivate practitioners).

Exercise and chronic low back pain: what works?

The aim of this review was to investigate current evidence for the type and quality of exercise being offered to chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients, within randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and to assess how treatment outcomes are being measured. A two-fold methodological approach was adopted: a methodological assessment identified RCTs of 'medium' or 'high' methodological quality. Exercise quality was subsequently assessed according to the predominant exercise used.

The efficacy of traction for back pain: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of traction for patients with low back pain (LBP) with or without radiating pain, taking into account the clinical technique or parameters used.

Data Sources: A computer-aided search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, and the Cochrane Collaboration was conducted for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the English language, from 1966 to December 2001.

Study Selection: RCTs were included if: participants were over the age of 18 years, with LBP with or without radiating pain; the intervention group received traction as the main or sole treatment; the comparison group received sham traction or another conservative treatment; and the study used 1 of 4 primary outcome measures.

Physiotherapy management of low back pain: a survey of current practice in northern Ireland.

Study Design: A questionnaire survey of physiotherapists treating low back pain.

Objective: To investigate current clinical practice in the physiotherapeutic management of low back pain in Northern Ireland.

Summary Of Background: Physiotherapists play an important role in the management of low back pain.