Smartphone-Based Remote Self-Management of Chronic Low Back Pain: A Preliminary Study

OBJECTIVE: To assess the additional effect of self-management on physiotherapy via the use of APPS on management of chronic low back pain. METHOD: A single-blinded randomized control trial was conducted. 8 participants (male: 4; female: 4) were recruited from the Rehabilitation Clinic of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Participants in the treatment group received self-management plus physiotherapy and the control group received physiotherapy only. Assessment was carried out pretreatment, midterm (week 2), and posttreatment (week 4), including Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ), Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), and SF36. RESULTS: Compared with the physiotherapy group, the self-management plus physiotherapy group had significance in PSEQ (p=0.035), RMDQ (p=0.035), SF36-Bodily Pain (p=0.008), and SF36-Mental Health (p=0.013). VAS showed a positive trend although there was no significant difference. CONCLUSION: This pilot study indicated that smartphone APPS-based self-management program appears to bring additional benefits to physiotherapy for patients with CLBP. Self-management is a potential approach for people with CLBP.