Effects of customized foot orthotics on reported disability and analgesic use in patients with chronic low back pain associated with motor vehicle collisions

Abstract

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to compare reported disability due to chronic low back pain following a motor vehicle collision between groups of those using customized foot orthotics and those not using orthotics. MethodsSixty-six consecutive patients referred from primary care medical physicians for the complaint of chronic (>3 months) low back pain following a motor vehicle collision were included. Thirty patients received “usual care” that included prescription of an exercise therapy program in addition to analgesics. Thirty-four patients received the same therapy along with customized foot orthotics. All patients completed the Oswestry Disability Index at the initiation of the study and at 8-week follow-up. The number of participants using any type of prescription analgesic for their back pain at baseline and at 8 weeks was also recorded. ResultsAll patients completed treatment, and the baseline and 8-week questionnaires. Both treatment groups were well matched in terms of age, sex distribution, and duration of low back pain, as well as baseline Oswestry Disability Index score. At 8 weeks, although both groups had improved, the group that used orthotics had a lower Oswestry Disability Index than the usual care group (P < .05), with a smaller proportion of the orthotics group using any form of prescribed analgesics for back pain (P < .05). ConclusionsIn this study, patients with chronic low back pain following a motor vehicle collision who used orthotics in addition to usual care had improved short-term outcomes compared with usual care alone.