Clinical effects of early physiotherapy education for acute non-specific low back pain in the emergency department. A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Education and encouragement to remain active are considered first-line treatments for acute non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). Aim: to assess the effectiveness of an early physiotherapy education intervention - including also a posture exercise - combined with standard medical care, compared to standard medical care alone, in patients presenting with acute NSLBP in the emergency department (ED).METHODS: Adults with acute NSLBP were randomized to receive either standard care plus a physiotherapy session involving education, reassurance, pain neuroscience, and a guided lumbar exercise or standard medical care. Participants were assessed at three timepoints: before treatment (baseline), at 1 month, and at 3 months post-treatment. Outcome measures included the 0-10 Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), and the 5-level EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D-5L) for assessing quality of life (QoL). Linear mixed model analyses for repeated measures were performed for each outcome (P