Rest has been standard recommendation for low back pain (LBP)
for years, especially within the medical community. This recommendation
persists despite research evidence suggesting that prolonged
rest serves no purpose and may delay return to work and resumption
of normal activities.
This
report from the International Paris Task Force on Back Pain
outlines the role of activity in the treatment of back pain.
In addition to presenting numerous recommendations and summaries,
the authors offer the following key points as summary to their
findings:
- Bed rest is contraindicated in subacute and chronic cases
of LBP.
- In acute cases, bed rest should neither be enforced nor
prescribed.
- If authorized (based on pain indication), bed rest should
be for the shortest duration possible.
- Patients whose pain is intense enough to justify bed
rest should be referred for a specialized back pain evaluation
if daily activities have not been resumed after 10 days
of strict bed rest (defined as getting up only to go to
the bathroom) and adequate pain therapy.
Are you suffering from low back pain? If you think bed rest
is the solution to your pain, think again. As the authors
note (see above), if your pain is intense enough to justify
bed rest, schedule a “specialized back pain evaluation” with
an expert in managing and resolving back pain -- your doctor
of chiropractic!
If you’d like to find out more about back pain and how chiropractic
can help, visit https://www.chiroweb.com/find/tellmeabout/backpain.html
Reference:
Abenhaim L, Rossignol M, Valat JP, et al. The role of activity
in the therapeutic management of back pain: Report of the
International Paris Task Force on Back Pain. Spine,
Feb. 15, 2000 (supplement): Vol. 25, No. 4S, pp1-25.
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