Wallsend NSW

We assessed authors’ language and methods to determine alignment between reported aims, methods, intent, and interpretations in observational studies in spinal pain or osteoarthritis. We searched five databases for observational studies that included people with spinal pain or osteoarthritis published in the last five years. We randomised 100 eligible studies, and classified study intent (aims and methods) and interpretations as causal, non-causal, unclear, or misaligned.

Highlights • What is already known? • Poor reporting of interventions in clinical trial is one barrier to the provision of evidence-based treatments in practice. • Exercise is widely recommended as a treatment for low back pain based on reports of a large number of randomised trials, but many patients with low back pain are not prescribed exercise as part of treatment. • What are the new findings? • The reporting of exercise interventions for LBP is poor.