Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by BRADSHAW, C.
Right arrow Articles by STEEN, I.N.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by BRADSHAW, C.
Right arrow Articles by STEEN, I.N.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1995 British Society for Rheumatology

research-article

MANIPULATIVE PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR SPINAL PROBLEMS IN PRIMARY CARE: OUTCOMES OF CARE

C. BRADSHAW, B. WATLING*, C. BRYCE* and I.N. STEEN{dagger}

Marsden Road Health Centre South Shields
*NEEPHA Physiotherapy Clinics 12 Victoria Road West, Hebburn
{dagger}Centre for Health Services Research, University of Newcastle upon Tyne 21 Claremont Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne & Wear

Correspondence to: Correspondence to: C. Bradshaw, Marsden Road Health Centre, South Shields, Tyne & Wear NE34 6RE.

Outcome measures for physiotherapy in a primary health care setting should be evaluated before physiotherapy becomes widely available in general practice. The aim of this study was to assess changes in outcome measures in patients with spinal problems treated with bed rest, advice and analgesia (‘traditional’ treatment) and with manual/manipulative physiotherapy (‘active’ treatment). A retrospective analysis was carried out of computerized records of patients treated in primary care with manual and manipulative physiotherapy for spinal problems and a group with a similar age/sex/diagnosis profile who were given traditional treatment. Outcome measures in the 12 months following the initial diagnosis were: referrals, recurrences, casualty attendances, X-rays and number of prescribed analgesic and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs). In the active group, there were 231 lumbar and 154 cervical patients, and 82 and 75, respectively, in the traditional group. There was a significant decrease in the recurrence rate [odds ratio (OR) = 0.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37-0.84] and in the numbers attending casualty (OR = 0.19, 95% CI 0.04–0.76) for ‘active’ compared with ‘traditional’ patients. For patients with cervical problems, there was a significant decrease in the active group of NSAIDs prescribed (P <0.05). Certain outcomes of spinal problems are improved by the provision of manipulative physiotherapy in general practice.

KEY WORDS: Manual physiotherapy, Manipulation, Primary care, Outcomes, Spinal problems, Soft tissue


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.