1. Jill Alexander, Ambreen Chohan, James Selfe, Karen May, Jim Richards
determining the clinical effectiveness of the LumbaCurve™ in the management of simple mechanical low back pain 
Jill Alexander, Ambreen Chohan, James Selfe, Karen May, Jim Richards
School of Sport, Tourism and the Outdoors, University of Central Lancashire, UK.   
Low back pain (LBP) poses challenges for clinical management. Individuals with LBP may reduce their symptoms by implementing self-managed at-home interventions. The theoretical design of the LumbaCurve™ promotes the principles of a passive gravity-assisted traction stretch of the lumbar and sacral region in order to reduce LBP. This study aimed to assess clinical effectiveness of the LumbaCurve™ in the management of LBP when compared to a control group of standardised care.
METHODS
Participants (n=67, 27 males, 40 females, mean age 35.5 years) were recruited and screened using the Keele STarT Back [1,2] and Red Flags Screening Tools [3].
Randomised to either the intervention group (IG) (Standardised care PLUS LumbaCurve™) or control group (C) (Standardised care The Back Book [4]) (Figure 1 & 2).
Pre and Post assessment following 4 week intervention, using Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), and Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs). 1 2
Fig. 1 LumbaCurve™ Intervention group plus standardised care).
Fig. 2 The Back Book (Control group). 
RESULTS
Significant reductions (p=0.039) in ‘average’ pain rating over the previous 24 hours and 7 days (p=0.001), were reported when comparing intervention group pre/post.
Significant reductions (p=0.017) in participants ‘worst’ pain were reported over the previous 7 days.
Significant decreases (p=0.001) in ‘average’ and ‘worst’ pain (p=0.001) in the intervention group when rating an activity that they found difficult to do, due to their back pain.
Significant reduction (p=0.019) in back pain scores in the IG compared to the C group.
Table 1. Pre and post RMDQ analysis of both groups.
DISCUSSION – CONCLUSION
The intervention group demonstrated more significant changes toward an improvement in ‘mechanical’ low back pain, when assessing RMDQ and PROMs outcome measures. Over a 4 week intervention, conservative management of ‘simple mechanical LBP’ using a LumbaCurve™ device may help reduce an individuals pain perception. Further biomechanical assessment would be desirable to investigate the positive effects demonstrated in this initial study, and understand further the mechanisms behind the theoretical design of the LumbaCurve™.
REFERENCES
1. Greenhalgh S and Selfe J. Red Flags: A guide to identifying serious pathology of the spine Churchill Livingstone, Elsevier.
2. Greenhalgh S and Selfe J. Red Flags II: A Clinical Guide to Solving Serious Spinal Pathology Churchill Livingstone, Elsevier.
3. Hill JC, Dunn KM, Lewis M, Mullis R, Main CJ, Foster NE et al. A primary care back pain screening tool: identifying patient subgroups for initial treatment. Arthritis Rheum 2008; 59 (5):
4. Burton, K (2002). The Back Book, 2nd Edition, Norwich: The Stationery Office.