Treatment of patients with chronic low back pain. Comparison between rehabilitation centre and outpatient care.

The results of three weeks' treatment for low back pain were studied in 88 patients at a rehabilitation centre and in 63 outpatients. All the patients were male, and between 54 and 63 years of age. Physical measurements of spinal function were made before and two months after treatment; a questionnaire on back-pain symptoms was filled in before treatment and 2, 6 and 12 months after treatment. A back-pain index based on the replies to the questionnaires was used for evaluating the effects of the treatment. The average results showed that the effects of the treatment lasted six months but disappeared almost completely within a year. The material studied revealed no substantial difference between the results of the rehabilitation centre and outpatient treatment according to the physical measurements or the pain index.