Suffering from lower back pain and looking for help?

The Direct Physio trial allows you to visit a physiotherapist without a prescription and with reimbursement!
Moreover, the reimbursement for you as a patient is higher than with a regular treatment prescription.

Researching direct access
to physiotherapy

The Direct Physio trial examines the added value of seeing a physiotherapist first instead of a GP.

Inclusion criteria:

  • You are currently suffering from low back pain. By low back pain, we mean pain that is between the lower ribs and the bottom of the buttocks, with or without pain in one or both legs.
  • This low back pain has been going on for more than 24 hours and less than six weeks.
  • You are not yet undergoing treatment for these symptoms (not counting any taking of pain medication).
  • You are at least 18 and no more than 65 years old
  • You have not had surgery on your back in the past year
  • You are not pregnant
  • You have never before been diagnosed with a general pain syndrome, such as fibromyalgia

Do you qualify for inclusion?

Sign up and take part in this study:  https://forms.gle/7dAhnBDavkPnCe4x8

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Objectives
of the direct physio trial

If you have back problems in Belgium, you must first obtain a medical prescription to receive reimbursement for physiotherapy treatments. This is in contrast to other countries. Whereas most countries indicate that direct access to physiotherapy is more effective, Belgium is still lagging behind. This is rather strange because to become a licensed physiotherapist in Belgium one has to finish an intensive 5-year Master's degree programme. In most countries, physiotherapist have a Bachelors degree. This direct physio study evaluates whether direct access is as effective as the current system (with GP referral) and whether it is associated with lower costs for the patient and society.

Low back pain is the leading cause
of quality years of life lost

Did you know that the approach to low back pain has changed significantly in recent years? The most recent clinical guidelines in Europe focus entirely on

  • Treatment without the use of medication
  • Adaptation in living and working environment
  • Education, advice and reassurance of the patient
  • Active rehabilitation programmes to return to pain-free movement

Only for specific subgroups of patients some additional strategies are advised

  • psychological counselling (e.g. chronic pain - see also our article on chronic pain)
  • multi-disciplinary treatment (e.g. social worker)
  • surgical intervention is only required for a small subgroup of paitients

Source: Evidence‐based treatment recommendations for neck and low back pain across Europe: A systematic review of guidelines

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