| Evidence of Improved
Clinical Outcomes |
- Advice to stay active and
continue usual activities
- Paracetamol
- NSAIDs (non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs)
- Manipulation – in the
first 4 to 6 weeks only
|
| Evidence of no
improvement in clinical outcomes |
- Bed rest for more than 2 days
- TENS (transcutaneous
electrical nerve stimulation)
- Traction
- Specific back exercises
- Education pamphlets about low
back symptoms
|
| Evidence of potential
harm from the treatments below which should not be used |
- Use of narcotics or diazepam
(especially for more than 2 weeks)
- Bed rest with traction
- Manipulation under general
anaesthesia
- Plaster jacket
|
| Insufficient research
evidence for any improvement in clinical outcomes |
- Conditioning exercises for the
trunk muscles
- Aerobic conditioning
- Epidural steroid injections
- Workplace back schools
- Acupuncture
- Shoe lifts
- Corsets
- Biofeedback
- Physical agents and passive
modalities (includes ice, heat, short wave diathermy, massage,
ultra sound)
|
