What is the effect of sensory discrimination training on chronic low back pain? A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Sensory discrimination training (SDT) for people with chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a novel approach based on theories of the cortical reorganization of the neural system. SDT aims to reverse cortical reorganization, which is observed in chronic pain patients. SDT is still a developing therapeutic approach and its effects have not been systematically reviewed. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate if SDT decreases pain and improves function in people with CLBP. METHODS: A systematic review was performed on the available literature to evaluate the effects of SDT. Randomised controlled trials compared the effectiveness of SDT on pain and function in people with CLBP with the effectiveness of other physiotherapy interventions, no treatment, or sham therapy. The methodological quality of the included studies and the clinical relevance of reported treatment effects were investigated. RESULTS: The original search revealed 42 records of which 6 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies showed that SDT caused statistically significant improvements in pain and function, but only two studies reported clinically relevant improvements. The applied SDT varied considerably with regard to dosage and content. The methodological quality of the included studies also varied, which hampered the comparability of results. CONCLUSIONS: Although SDT seems to improve pain and function in people with CLBP, study limitations render firm conclusions unsafe. Future studies should pay closer attention to power and sample selection as well as to the content and dosage of the SDT intervention. We recommend a large, well-powered, prospective randomized control study that uses a standardized SDT approach to address the hypothesis that SDT causes clinically relevant improvements in pain and function. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12891-016-0997-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.