Occupational Therapy for a Patient with Chronic Low Back Pain

Abstract

Low back pain (LBP), which affects patient physical function, emotions, social activities, and regular work, is a common disease in modern society. LBP patients typically receive multidisciplinary treatment, including occupational therapy. Occupational therapists focus on patient performance of activities, and teach them appropriate body mechanics and alternative techniques at home or work, to prevent LBP. We examined an intervention for a chronic LBP patient proposed by an occupational therapist, and adopted outcome measures from the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Based on the COPM findings, the occupational therapist designed an individualized treatment program to help the patient solve her problems, and achieve her goals. Two specific interventions (namely, education and pain management) were used in relation to the patient’s primary problems, including physical and psychosocial aspects. The main limitation of the case report was an insufficient duration of the intervention (2 months), and the absence of using standardized instruments to evaluate the intervention effects. Thus, a longer intervention is suggested in future studies. This paper provides occupational therapists with a clinical reference for using COPM on a patient with LBP.