Research and studies

Low back pain is a multifactorial disorder; the primary objective, therefore, should be to identify the aetiology by taking an in-depth and detailed medical history and performing instrumental diagnostic tests.

Deyo and Weinstein’s classification of lumbar pain recognises mechanical causes (common low back pain, vertebral fracture, lumbar spinal stenosis, herniated disc, etc.), non-mechanical causes (neoplasias, infectious processes, anchylosing spondylitis, etc.) and visceral causes (renal disease, aortic aneurism, etc.). A mechanical cause is identified in 97% of patients. A specific cause (vertebral fracture, lumbar spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, herniated disc, degenerative disc diseases, serious deformities of the rachis) is identified in 10% of subjects with lower back pain of mechanical origin. In 85% of subjects with lower back pain of mechanical origin it is not possible to identify one of more specific causes (nonspecific or idiopathic or ‘common’ lower back pain).

There is as yet no ‘gold standard’ treatment for management of low back pain but rather multiple therapeutic approaches. If we consider that low back pain is a multi-factorial disorder, it is easy to understand that the question is not so much that of selecting the most efficacious rehabilitative technique as of finding the right combination of techniques which, together, can build a protocol adequate for achieving the best possible result. It is also important to persevere with research into new techniques which can add to and improve these protocols.

Our study intended to verify the expediency of expanding the treatment options for patients with low back pain attributable to mechanical disorders of the rachis by including a passive lumbar suspension device (Myback® Phisio) model.

• UNIPI Study