For Chronic Low Back Pain: Brace Yourself

In the continuing search for effective nonpharmacologic approaches to treating chronic low back pain, investigators randomized 168 adults with nonspecific low back pain to use an adjustable, nonrigid lumbar belt for 4 to 8 hours daily plus usual care or usual care alone. The trial was sponsored by the makers of the commercially available lumbar belt, which has front and back panels connected by elastic fabric. Participants had a visual analog pain score of at least 40 on a 100-point scale and no prior back surgery, radicular pain, or recent epidural corticosteroid injection.