The Effect of AposTherapy on Pain and Function in a Non Specific Low Back Pain

AposTherapy® is a home-based exercise program utilizing footwear that causes exercise with normal daily activity that may significantly improve function in patients with back pain in general, and specifically Axial Low Back Pain (NSLBP). Capitalizing on the reported excellent adherence and clinical benefit of Apos Therapy in patients with significant back pain, we propose to evaluate this as a conservative treatment that may supplant/supplement traditional pain medications and physical therapy in NSLBP population. A possible potential use of AposTherapy® as a replacement for traditional physical therapy may yield a less costly, more effective therapy with better adherence. Problems with traditional therapy include poor patient adherence to both outpatient and home therapy programs, the added cost of travel (which may be more than $100 per session for ambulette or access-a-ride for eligible patients), and the lack of continuation in an ongoing exercise program\[6-8\], all of which can lead to relapse and need for retreatment. Additionally, access to physical therapy is limited for many patients since there are not enough available outpatient therapy services to meet the needs of all patients. Finding an alternative exercise program that will increase adherence, decrease total therapy visits, and improve patient's outcomes with decreased dependence on pain medications is a high priority from both patient care and cost management perspectives. AposTherapy® potentially overcomes many of these issues by improving/modifying abnormal biomechanics (therefore decreasing pain), and providing an independent home-based exercise program utilizing footwear that causes exercise with normal activity by promoting perturbation. This biomechanical approach may significantly reduce pain and improve function in patients with nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP). Capitalizing on the reported excellent adherence and clinical benefit of AposTherapy® in patients with significant NSLBP, we propose to evaluate the biomechanical exercise (wearing an appropriately calibrated shoe at home for a prescribed amount of time each day) as a conservative treatment that may supplement or supplant traditional pain medications, interventional pain procedures and physical therapy in an at-risk urban inner city population with NSLBP.