To understand the range and potential severity of adverse events reported by patients with back pain who were participating in a walking intervention.
This research
study highlights the pedometer-based, unsupervised walking program in an
efficient manner. In order to be more careful, proper counselling about
musculoskeletal risks needs to be employed.
To understand the
range and potential severity of adverse events reported by patients with back
pain who were participating in a walking intervention.
Data were
obtained from participants in a randomized trial of a pedometer-based
Internet-mediated intervention to promote walking and reduce back pain-related
disability (n = 229 participants, 118 usual care, and 111 intervention).
Participants reported adverse events throughout the 12-month study period. All
reported events were reviewed and classified by system, severity, and study
relatedness.
A total of 600
adverse events were reported, 250 by those in usual care and nearly 350 by
those in the intervention. After worsening back pain (27%), musculoskeletal
events were the most commonly reported events (19%), followed by cardiovascular
events (14%), infection (11%), and medical procedures (9%). There were three
times as many musculoskeletal events in the intervention compared to the usual
care group. Cardiovascular events, which were generally not serious and not
walking related, were far less common than musculoskeletal injuries.
Individuals with
chronic back pain can safely engage in a pedometer-based, unsupervised walking
program. However, patients may benefit from focused counseling about
musculoskeletal risks with specific attention to injury prevention measures
such as gradually incrementing activity levels.
Chronic Illness
Adverse events experienced by participants in a back pain walking intervention: A descriptive study
Sarah L Krein et al.
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