Scientists have named effective ways to combat lower back pain

Lower back pain remains one of the main reasons for the restriction of daily activity worldwide. Physical exercises, psychological support, and self-management training are used to improve the condition. However, such approaches vary in efficiency and cost of medical care. About which methods help to cope with lower back pain and allow you to save money — in the material of Izvestia.

What methods have scientists studied?

The researchers analyzed 20 scientific papers published from 2005 to 2026. 14,884 people participated in the experiments. The authors reviewed approaches recommended by the World Health Organization, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the United Kingdom, and the North American Society of Spine Specialists.

The analysis included studies on yoga, massage, acupuncture, psychological therapy, spinal manipulation, physical exercise, and dietary changes. The effectiveness of these approaches was compared with routine medical care or lack of treatment.

The work was published in the journal PLOS Medicine. The authors evaluated not only the health outcomes, but also the economic effectiveness of various methods.

The doctor told about the causes of sudden pain in the lower back

Which methods turned out to be the most profitable

According to the results of the analysis, some individual approaches made it possible to improve the condition of patients and at the same time reduce the cost of medical care compared to conventional treatment. Among them, the researchers identified yoga, cognitive behavioral therapy, self-management support for symptoms, training aimed at reducing fear of pain, and mindfulness practices to reduce stress.

The authors also evaluated comprehensive programs combining several approaches. In particular, recommendations combined with a gradual increase in physical activity in the workplace, as well as programs combining dietary changes and physical exercise, turned out to be more economically beneficial.

Thus, economic efficiency depended not only on the specific method, but also on how it was applied and compared with what.

Why did scientists evaluate not only the result of treatment

When comparing the methods, the researchers took into account the cost of medical care and health benefits. In particular, they used an indicator of the cost of an additional year of life adjusted for its quality. A threshold of 20,000 pounds (more than 2.1 million rubles) recommended by the British National Institute for Health and Medical Care Improvement was used for the assessment.

Comprehensive programs turned out to be more economically beneficial, including recommendations and a gradual increase in physical activity in the workplace, as well as dietary changes along with physical exercise.

This approach allows us to evaluate not only whether a certain method helps, but also how justified the costs of its application are. This is important for health systems that need to allocate resources between different areas of care.

What the author of the study said

Manuela Ferreira, the senior author of the study, noted that lower back pain remains the leading cause of disability in the world, but some effective ways of helping make it possible to spend healthcare resources more efficiently at the same time.

According to her, investments in proven effective care, including exercise, physical therapy, and psychological support, can allow more people to improve their health and reduce the burden on health systems. The authors believe that increasing access to such approaches can benefit both patients and medical organizations.

What are the limitations of the study?

The authors drew attention to several limitations. All the work included in the review was carried out in high-income countries. In addition, the studies differed in ways of assessing economic efficiency, conditions of care, and characteristics of participants. Therefore, the results cannot be automatically transferred to all countries and health systems. There is insufficient data for a similar assessment in low- and middle-income countries.

The researchers emphasize that further expanding access to effective approaches can help people with lower back pain. At the same time, in order to make decisions on financing medical care, it is necessary to take into account the specifics of a particular healthcare system and available resources.