Strategies to Facilitate and Tools to Measure Non-specific Low Back Pain Patients' Adherence to Physiotherapy - A Two-stage Systematic Review

Background: Sustainable management for non-specific low back pain relies on adherence. This requires effective strategies to facilitate but also tools to measure adherence to physiotherapy.

Objective: This two-stage systematic review aims to identify (1) tools to measure non-specific back pain patients' adherence to physiotherapy and (2) the most effective strategy to facilitate patients' adherence to physiotherapy.

Method: PubMed, Cochrane, PEDro, and Web of Science were searched for English language studies measuring adherence in adults with low back pain. Following PRISMA recommendations, scoping review methods were used to identify measurement tools (stage 1). The effectiveness of interventions (stage 2), followed a predefined systematic search strategy. Two independent reviewers selected eligible studies (software Rayyan), analyzed these for risk of bias using the Downs and Black checklist. Data relevant to assess adherence were collected in a predesigned data extraction table. Results were heterogeneous and hence summarized narratively.

Results: Twenty-one studies were included for stage 1 and 16 for stage 2. Identified were 6 different tools to measure adherence. The most used tool was an exercise diary; the most common more multidimensional tool was the Sports Injury Rehabilitation Adherence Scale. Most included studies were not designed to improve or measure adherence but used adherence as a secondary outcome for new exercise programs. The most promising strategies for facilitating adherence were based on cognitive behavioral principles.

Conclusion: Future studies should focus on the development of multidimensional strategies to facilitate adherence to physiotherapy and appropriate tools to measure all aspects of adherence.