Back Pain

The Back Pain theme aims to improve the management of back pain (including neck pain and whiplash), in the primary care setting. The theme’s major research projects are centred around; a better understanding of causes and sources of low back pain; defining the clinical course of low back pain; better management of low back pain; identifying mechanisms underlying persistence of symptoms following a whiplash injury and the development and testing of clinical measures of low back pain.

The Back Pain theme is co-ordinated by Prof Chris Maher.

Motor control or graded activity exercise for chronic low back pain? A randomised controlled trial

The primary aim of this project is to compare the effectiveness of two of the most commonly prescribed exercise interventions: motor control exercises and a graded activity program, for the treatment of chronic non-specific low back pain.

Prediction of chronicity following whiplash injury

This study tests a model of acute whiplash disorder that predicts those at risk of poor outcome.

Tai Chi for long-term low back pain

The primary aim of the research project is to establish whether tai chi exercise is more effective than usual care in the management of long-term low back pain.

The effect of a specific exercise program for patients with acute low back pain

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a specific exercise program based on the McKenzie method for patients with acute non-specific low back pain in primary medical care.

The effect of motor control exercise versus placebo in patients with chronic low back pain

The aim of this study is to compare, for the first time, the effects of motor control exercise versus placebo in the treatment of chronic non-specific low back pain.