Supporting Self-Management of Low Back Pain with an Internet Intervention With and Without Telephone Support in Primary Care (SupportBack 2): A Randomised Controlled Trial of Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness
Supporting Self-Management of Low Back Pain with an Internet Intervention With and Without Telephone Support in Primary Care (SupportBack 2): A Randomised Controlled Trial of Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness
This trial tested whether a free, internet-based self-management programme for low back pain, called SupportBack, helped people more than usual care alone, and whether adding phone calls from a physiotherapist made a difference. The study followed 825 people in UK primary care for 12 months.
What was studied?
Participants were split into three groups: usual care alone, usual care plus the online programme, and usual care plus the programme with three physiotherapist phone calls. The study measured pain-related disability and cost-effectiveness after 12 months.
What did they find?
Disability scores after 12 months were not meaningfully different between the three groups. The online programme worked out cheaper overall and was judged likely cost-effective at a standard NHS threshold, largely because it kept people away from more expensive care.
Why it matters
This is a good example of research that does not oversell itself: no dramatic clinical benefit was found, yet the finding still has practical value, showing digital tools can safely support people between appointments.
Why we included it
It shows a useful principle for judging new tools: value is not only about beating existing care outright, but about offering a safe, cheaper option that does not make outcomes worse.
Help us improve your experience (and hopefully your back).
We use cookies to improve the website and show relevant content to people interested in our services.
We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You can choose which categories to allow below. Cookies categorised as Necessary are always active.
We also use third-party cookies for analytics and advertising. These are only stored with your consent. You can update or withdraw consent at any time via the cookie icon at the bottom-left. This site operates under UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). Cookie Policy • Privacy Policy
Always Active
Necessary cookies are required for core site features including security, network management, and consent storage.
Cookie
Duration
Description
hmdg_cookie_consent
180 days
Stores your cookie consent preferences.
PHPSESSID
Session
WordPress session identifier.
wordpress_logged_in_*
Session
WordPress login authentication.
Functional cookies enable enhanced features such as live chat and remembering preferences.
Cookie
Duration
Description
wp-settings-*
1 year
Stores user interface preferences.
Analytics cookies help us understand visitor behaviour. Controls analytics_storage for Google Analytics 4.
Cookie
Duration
Description
_ga
2 years
Google Analytics — distinguishes users.
_ga_*
2 years
Google Analytics 4 — session persistence.
_gid
24 hours
Google Analytics — distinguishes users.
_gat
1 minute
Google Analytics — throttles request rate.
Performance cookies collect aggregate, anonymous data about site performance.
Cookie
Duration
Description
_gat_gtag_*
1 minute
Google Tag Manager — rate throttle.
Marketing cookies track visits to deliver relevant ads. Controls ad_storage, ad_user_data, and ad_personalization.
What was studied?
Participants were split into three groups: usual care alone, usual care plus the online programme, and usual care plus the programme with three physiotherapist phone calls. The study measured pain-related disability and cost-effectiveness after 12 months.
What did they find?
Disability scores after 12 months were not meaningfully different between the three groups. The online programme worked out cheaper overall and was judged likely cost-effective at a standard NHS threshold, largely because it kept people away from more expensive care.
Why it matters
This is a good example of research that does not oversell itself: no dramatic clinical benefit was found, yet the finding still has practical value, showing digital tools can safely support people between appointments.
Why we included it
It shows a useful principle for judging new tools: value is not only about beating existing care outright, but about offering a safe, cheaper option that does not make outcomes worse.