ADHERENCE TO THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE IN PATIENTS WITH NONSPECIFIC LOW BACK PAIN

Abstract

Purpose: Adherence to therapeutic exercises for low back pain can significantly impact longevity, quality of life, and health care costs. There is insufficient research describing the nature and relationship between specific patient characteristics and exercise adherence in non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). This research aimed to examine: (i) the relationship between education and adherence, (ii) the relationship between perceived pain level and adherence, and (iii) whether education and pain level are significant predictors of adherence. Methods: Observational analytic research was conducted in a physiotherapy outpatient setting on a sample of 50 subjects with NSLBP. Data collected were: sociodemographic, pain level according to the visual analogue scale (VAS) and adherence measured by the Exercise Adherence Rating Scale (EARS). For hypotheses testing, statistical methods used were; t-test for small independent samples (i), Pearson correlation coefficient (ii) and linear regression analysis (iii). Results: The results show that: (i) people with a college education are more adherent, (ii) increasing adherence reduces pain level, and (iii) education and pain level are significant in predicting adherence, where education is a stronger predictor. Conclusion: College-educated persons are more prone to therapeutic exercise, and adherence determines physiotherapy outcomes. The contribution of research to clinical practice is reflected in the findings of the nature and relationship between education level and exercise adherence in NSLBP and its significant impact on physiotherapy outcomes.