Long-Term Exercise Adherence in the Elderly with Chronic Low Back Pain

Abstract

The exercise behaviors of many elderly adults with chronic low back pain can increase after an exercise-oriented spine physical therapy program.

Predictors of Long-term Exercise Adherence in a Community-Based Sample of Older Women

“…Age and other demographic variables did not predict adherence for either type of exercise, similar to other research. 22,23,57,58 Significant predictors of walking adherence included absence of depression, fewer chronic conditions, and use of behavioral processes of change. Significant predictors of balance exercise adherence included intact cognitive function as measured by the MMSE, self-efficacy for exercise, and poor or fair health status.…”

Identifying Barriers to Remaining Physically Active After Rehabilitation: Differences in Perception Between Physical Therapists and Older Adult Patients

“…49 External barriers, those attributed to social and environmental-related factors, include access to resources such as safe exercise environments, transportation, disposable income, and exercise partners. Both internal and external barriers have been identified as real challenges to physical activity participation for persons with conditions managed by physical therapists, including osteoarthritis, 29 chronic pain, 1,21 low back pain, 16,19 and stroke. 36,45 There is limited research on interventions to change internal barriers to physical activity, and fostering long-term change in physical activity participation has had only partial success.…”

Patient Age Is Related to the Types of Physical Therapy Interventions Provided for Chronic Low Back Pain: An Observational Study

“…Exercise is an integral part of most physical therapy plans of care and has support from several studies for its effectiveness in patients with CLBP. 23,24,31,45 Collectively, the authors of these works reported improvements in pain, function, strength, flexibility, and disability following exercise in patients ranging in age from 40 to 82 years. Mailloux et al 31 also noted that subjects who continued to exercise after their study concluded had significantly better Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire scores at 2-year follow-up compared to subjects who no longer exercised.…”

“…23,24,31,45 Collectively, the authors of these works reported improvements in pain, function, strength, flexibility, and disability following exercise in patients ranging in age from 40 to 82 years. Mailloux et al 31 also noted that subjects who continued to exercise after their study concluded had significantly better Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire scores at 2-year follow-up compared to subjects who no longer exercised. In a recently published clinical practice guideline, 12 there was strong evidence for the use of progressive endurance exercises, fitness activities, and trunk coordination, strengthening, and endurance activities for patients with CLBP.…”

“…CLBP is managed with a wide variety of interventions, 30,31,37 and an increasing body of literature identifies the type of treatments that yield improvement in patient status. 4,13,26,40 Other evidence suggests that intensity and frequency of interventions impact treatment out-comes.…”