The following is a fake study submitted to the Journal of Fabricated Physical Therapy Studies, helping to prove that putting in work actually leads to improvements in chronic low back pain. It is entitled – Does Complaining About not Getting Enough Massage and Having to Do Home Exercises Improve Outcomes versus an Individualized Physical Therapy Regimen: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. OBJECTIVE(S): To determine if a strict exercise-based physical therapy regimen reduces patients’ objective functional and pain measurements versus a strict regimen of complaining about all home exercises and not getting enough massage. BACKGROUND: Recent studies dictate the efficacy for more active measures in the rehabilitation of patients with chronic low back pain. However, there are no clinical trials evaluating long-term outcomes of this type of program compared to complaining about having to perform a home exercise program as well as a lack of massage. METHODS: 100 overweight (based on BMI) males between the ages of 45-65 with a history of chronic low back pain (6 months or more) were divided into two study groups by a computer program. The two groups were unknown to the researchers conducting the study and consisted of the exercise (EG) group (n=50, mean age, 55 years) and complainers (CG) group (n=50 mean age 55 years). EG took part in an 8 week individualized exercised based physical therapy regimen consisting of minimal manual therapy, lower extremity stretching, and extensive hip and trunk strengthening. EG was also responsible for performing their home exercise program (HEP) an additional 3 times per week for the 8 week course of treatment. CG underwent an 8 week individualized “exercised” based physical therapy regimen consisting of “not enough” manual therapy, some half-assed leg stretches, and exercises CG found “pointless” while also having an independent HEP prescribed but definitely not to be performed. All participants were to be evaluated by double blinded practitioners and also were to be administered an Oswestry Disability Index and 11-point numeric pain rating scale prior to the trial, after the clinical trial, and 4 months after the finish of the clinical trial. RESULTS: At baseline, demographic, pain, and functional assessment data were similar between groups. Those in the EG group had a higher level of function and less pain at the 2, and 6 month markers compared to baseline (P<;.05). In contrast, CG did not experience clinically significant reductions in pain or increases in function at the 2- and 6-month follow-ups (P<;.05), without any changes in the Oswestry Disability Index (P>;.05) through the course of the study. Compared to CG, EG had significantly less pain and improved functional level at the 2 and 6 month marks. CONCLUSION: Actually doing exercises and performing a home exercise program is shown to be more effective compared to complaining about not getting massage and having to perform home exercises in the treatment of chronic low back pain in 45-65 year-old overweight males.

Always Evolve (your research),

Mike