Sciatica Musculoskeletal Diseases Sciatica
Conditions
Interventions
All patients will be informed about the purpose of this study by an information sheet and about the assessment that they will get for their symptoms. Before the start of the assessment, they will sign
Sponsors
University of West Attica
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Patients with sciatica diagnosed by spine specialist in a private or public hospital and referred to physiotherapy 2. Pain in the lumbar region that reflects at the lower extremity in either a dermatomal distribution or not 3. Subjective neurological symptoms in one lower extremity, such as numbness, tingling, burning, weight sensation and crippling pain 4. Aged 18-75 years old 5. Ablity to read and communicate in Greek 6. Willingness to participate in the study
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Suspected serious spinal pathology or clinical red-flags such as cauda equina syndrome, suspicion of spinal tumours, infection, fractures and inflammatory spondyloarthropathy 2. Previous lumbar spine surgery 3. Previous lower extremity surgery 4. Currently receiving ongoing care from or have been in consultation with a secondary care doctor or physiotherapist for the same problem in the last 3 months 5. Serious co-morbidity preventing them from attending the research clinic and/or undergoing assessment and interventions 6. Severe enduring mental health condition 7. Pregnancy 8. Current participation in any other research study because of symptoms of back and leg pain or sciatica 9. Scoliosis of the spine >10 degrees, as measured on an X-ray 10. Taking steroid medications to treat neurological symptoms during the research period
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Development of an algorithm to categorize patients as low, medium and high-risk based on their sciatica symptoms assessed by questionnaires, neurologic examination, and neurodynamics evaluation at baseline without follow up | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1. Disability is measured using the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire at baseline at baseline without follow up 2. Overall impact of sciatica symptoms is measured using the Sciatica Bothersomeness Index at baseline without follow up 3. Fear of movement is measured using Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire at baseline without follow up 4. Anxiety and depression are measured using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale at baseline without follow up 5. Risk of poor outcome is measured using STarT Back Tool at baseline without follow up 6. Neuropathic pain scales are measured using S-LANSS at baseline without follow up 7. The Central Sensitisation Inventory (CSI) is a to identify patients who have symptoms that may be related to central sensitization (CS) or central sensitivity syndromes (CSS) at baseline without follow up 8. Pain assessed by Visual analog scale (VAS) at baseline without follow up 9. Quality of life with Short Form-36 (SF-36) at baseline without follow up 10. The functionality of the lower limps measured with Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) at baseline without follow up 11. The symptoms of the patients will be assessed from the neurodynamics tests (Slump, SLR, Femoral slump test) at baseline without follow up 12. Muscle strength from neurological examination at baseline without follow up 13. Reflexes from neurological examination at baseline without follow up 14. Quantitative sensory testing ( hot, cold, vibration, pinprick, light touch, discrimination points) at baseline without follow up | — |
Countries
Greece
Outcome results
None listed