Sciatica and Workplace Challenges:

A Study on Chiropractic Effectiveness

Sciatica poses a significant challenge in the workplace, often leading to increased opioid prescriptions for affected workers.1 Workers suffering from low back pain and sciatica report the highest levels of disability among all back pain types. With this context, a hospital's orthopedic medicine department in Norway explored how chiropractic treatments could help patients with severe sciatic pain. 3

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The study involved 44 workers hospitalized for severe sciatica, undergoing thorough examinations and chiropractic assessments. Treatments included joint adjustments, particularly in the lumbopelvic area, alongside ice treatment for soft-tissue soreness. Patients received daily treatments in the hospital and continued with three weekly sessions for the first two weeks at the clinic, with follow-up sessions based on individual needs. Treatment frequency generally adhered to Norwegian public health guidelines, limiting most patients to 14 sessions.

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Key findings included:

• Patients had suffered from pain for over three weeks before hospitalization.

• Imaging tests (35 MRIs and 7 CT scans) showed no structural changes.

• After treatment, 91% (40 patients) returned to full-time work within an average of 21.1 days.

• Two patients returned to work at reduced capacities (80% and 50%).

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This study highlighted the potential benefits of chiropractic care in significantly reducing sick leave duration for sciatica patients. The average disability period for sciatica patients is 72 days, but this study achieved a return-to-work average of just 21 days—a 70% reduction.

The research underscores chiropractic's role in improving spinal function, suggesting that joint adjustments might simulate the inhibitory impulses that regulate muscle spindle receptors, potentially leading to improved muscle and joint function.

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Sources

1. Stover BD, Turner JA, Franklin G, et al. Factors associated with early opioid prescription among workers with low back injuries. Journal of Pain 2006;7(10):718-25.

2. Arana E, Marti-Bonmati L, Vega M, et al. Relationship between low back pain, disability, MR imaging findings and health care provider. Skeletal Radiology 2006;35(9):641-7.

3. Orlin JR, Didriksen A. Results of chiropractic treatment of lumbopelvic fixation in 44 patients admitted to an orthopedic department. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2007;30:135-139.

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