Physical activity advice given by French general practitioners for low back pain and the role of digital e-health applications: a qualitative study.

Background: Low back pain is the fourth most common reason for consulting a general practitioner (GP) among people aged 40-50 years. Beyond the overall benefits of physical activity (PA) on health (psychological, cardiovascular, etc.), PA for low back pain seems to improve the prognosis in terms of pain, disability, and quality of life.

Comparing physical activity prescription with verbal advice for general practice patients with cardiovascular risk factors: results from the PEPPER randomised controlled trial.

Background: Regular physical activity improves health and quality of life for people with cardiovascular risk factors. However, few studies have demonstrated the applicability of strategies in health care to promote physical activity.

Objective: To evaluate if a written physical activity prescription combined with pedometer increases physical activity over one year compared with verbal advice in patients with cardiovascular disease risk in primary care.

Effectiveness of coordinated care to reduce the risk of prolonged disability among patients suffering from subacute or recurrent acute low back pain in primary care: protocol of the CO.LOMB cluster-randomized, controlled study.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal condition and, globally, a leading cause of years lived with disability. It leads to reduced social participation, impaired quality of life, and direct and indirect costs due to work incapacity. A coordinated approach focusing on psychosocial risk factors, active reeducation, and the early use of tools to maintain employment, may be effective for improving prognosis of patients with LBP.

Factors associated with referral to physiotherapists for adult patients consulting for musculoskeletal disorders in primary care; an ancillary study to ECOGEN.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are multifactorial requiring multidisciplinary treatment including physiotherapy. General practitioners (GP) have a central role in managing MSDs and mostly solicit physiotherapists accounting for 76.1% of physiotherapy referrals in France.

Influence of low back pain characteristics on the healthcare procedures prescribed by general practitioners for adult patients: ancillary analysis of the French ECOGEN study.

Background: Non-specific low back pain is a frequent reason for consultation, yet little is known about how general practitioners manage it in France.

Objectives: To describe the healthcare procedures general practitioners prescribe for low back pain in France.

Materials And Methods: This is an ancillary analysis of an observational, cross-sectional study (ECOGEN) conducted between November 2011 and April 2012 among 128 general practitioners.