Table 3 Exclusion themes and subthemes
Themes | Subthemes | n (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Back-related condition | Spondylolisthesis | 35 (21) |
Spinal stenosis | 31 (18) | ||
Spondylolysis | 13 (8) | ||
Ankylosing spondylitisa | 8 (5) | ||
Structural deformity | 7 (4) | ||
Osteoporotic fracture | 6 (4) | ||
Congenital deformation | 6 (4) | ||
Disc disease | 3 (2) | ||
Sacroiliitis | 3 (2) | ||
Severe structural deformity | 3 (2) | ||
Scoliosis | 2 (1) | ||
Active structural deficit | 2 (1) | ||
Severe postural abnormality | 2 (1) | ||
2 | Specified, unspecified, implied systemic, rheumatologic or immunologic conditions | Inflammatory disease | 37 (22) |
Osteoporosis | 27 (16) | ||
Rheumatological disease | 13 (8) | ||
Rheumatoid arthritis | 12 (7) | ||
Fibromyalgia | 9 (5) | ||
Autoimmune disease | 4 (2) | ||
Reactive arthritisb | 2 (1) | ||
Bone disease | 2 (1) | ||
Osteoarthritis | 2 (1) | ||
Inflammatory arthritis | 1 (1) | ||
Arthritis | 1 (1) | ||
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus | 1 (1) | ||
Myofascial pain syndrome | 1 (1) | ||
Articular impairment | 1 (1) | ||
3 | Psychological | Psychiatric disorders | 35 (21) |
Depression | 11 (6) | ||
Severe psychiatric disorder | 8 (5) | ||
Impaired cognition | 7 (4) | ||
4 | Other systemic, unspecified | Systemic disease | 15 (9) |
Metabolic disease | 10 (6) | ||
Visceral disease | 9 (5) | ||
Endocrine disorder | 2 (1) | ||
Uterine disease | 1 (1) | ||
Thyroid dysfunction | 1 (1) | ||
5 | Trauma | 63 (37) | |
6 | Malignancy | 78 (46) | |
7 | Infectious | Infection | 42 (25) |
Infectious spondylopathy | 5 (3) | ||
Infectious disease | 4 (2) | ||
Previous infection | 1 (1) | ||
Abscess | 1 (1) | ||
8 | Cardiovascular | Cardiac disease /insufficiency | 32 (19) |
Vascular disease /insufficiency | 13 (8) | ||
Hypertension | 6 (4) | ||
Ischemic heart attack | 2 (1) | ||
Claudication | 2 (1) | ||
Aortic aneurysm | 1 (1) | ||
9 | Haematological | Bleeding disorders | 5 (3) |
Blood coagulation disorder | 2 (1) | ||
10 | Respiratory | Respiratory disease /insufficiency | 14 (8) |
11 | Gastrointestinal, liver or renal | Severe renal or hepatic disorder | 5 (3) |
Liver disease | 2 (1) | ||
Gastrointestinal disease | 2 (1) | ||
Abdominal hernia | 2 (1) | ||
Gastritis | 1 (1) | ||
Gastric ulcer | 1 (1) | ||
Crohn’s disease | 1 (1) | ||
Inguinal hernia | 1 (1) | ||
12 | Neurological, systemic | Myelopathy | 2 (1) |
Epilepsy | 2 (1) | ||
Seizure disorders | 1 (1) | ||
Muscular disease | 1 (1) | ||
Muscular dystrophy | 1 (1) | ||
13 | General indications of spinal pathology | Pathology or disease “such as” / “e.g” | 22 (13) |
Specific cause “such as” / “e.g” | 22 (13) | ||
Red flags indicating serious spinal pathology | 21 (12) | ||
Specific cause identified | 14 (8) | ||
Known or suspected serious pathology | 10 (6) | ||
Non-mechanical low back pain | 1 (1) | ||
14 | Neurological related to the back (symptoms or signs or specific conditions referable to involvement of the spinal cord or nerve roots) | Nerve root compromise | 44 (26) |
Neurological signs | 34 (20) | ||
Disc herniation | 30 (18) | ||
Sciatica | 17 (10) | ||
Radicular symptoms | 16 (9) | ||
Signs of nerve root irritation | 15 (9) | ||
Cauda equina syndrome | 14 (8) | ||
Radiation below knee | 13 (8) | ||
Radiculopathy | 10 (6) | ||
Progressive neurological signs | 4 (2) | ||
Radicular pain | 4 (2) | ||
Widespread neurological signs | 3 (2) | ||
Leg symptoms | 3 (2) | ||
Spondylolisthesis with radiculopathy | 1 (1) | ||
Cord compression | 1 (1) | ||
Paralysis | 1 (1) | ||
15 | Previous or scheduled surgery | 84 (50) | |
16 | Pregnancy-related | Pregnancy | 81 (48) |
Pre-eclampsia | 1 (1) | ||
17 | Medico-legal issues | 39 (23) | |
18 | Comorbidities | Comorbidities | 2 (1) |
Urine or faecal incontinence | 1 (1) | ||
19 | Exclusion for feasibility | Not understanding language | 28 (17) |
Other current treatment | 18 (11) | ||
Previous specific treatment | 17 (10) | ||
Medication | 13 (8) | ||
Contraindications for intervention | 8 (5) | ||
Cardiac pacemaker | 6 (4) | ||
Current alcohol abuse | 3 (2) | ||
Unable to commit to home-exercises | 3 (2) | ||
Fever on the day of examination | 3 (2) | ||
History of psychosis | 2 (1) | ||
History of alcohol abuse | 2 (1) | ||
Presence of yellow flags | 1 (1) | ||
20 | Miscellaneous | Obesity | |
Body Mass Index ≥30 | 4 (2) | ||
Body Mass Index ≥40 | 3 (2) | ||
Obesity (not specified) | 2 (1) | ||
Body Mass Index ≥35 | 1 (1) | ||
Body Mass Index ≥28 | 1 (1) | ||
Menstruation | 1 (1) | ||
Unable to sit on a stationary bike | 1 (1) | ||
Bad balance between trunk flexors and extensors | 1 (1) | ||
Inability to walk at least 100 m without interruption | 1 (1) | ||
Neurologic impairment | 1 (1) | ||
Behaviour precluding participation in group therapy | 1 (1) | ||
Evidence of distress | 1 (1) | ||
Patients unable to accurately locate the area of pain | 1 (1) | ||
Patient unable to walk without a walking aid | 1 (1) | ||
Suspected non-compliance | 1 (1) | ||
21 | Patient-reported outcome measures with score thresholds for exclusion | Visual Analogue Scale (0 to 100)c | |
≥ 60 mm | 2 (1) | ||
≥ 80 mm | 2 (1) | ||
Beck Depression Inventory (0 to 63) | |||
≥ 20 points | 1 (1) | ||
≥ 29 points | 1 (1) | ||
Bothersomeness scale (0 to 10) | |||
≤ 3 points | 1 (1) | ||
Numeric Rating Scale (0 to 10) | |||
≥ 80 points | 1 (1) | ||