ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This prospective, randomised longitudinal study examined the effects of inpatient medical rehabilitation. METHOD: Data was collated on the day of admission (n=261), day of discharge (n=261) and 6 months after discharge (n=243). The length of the rehabilitation measure changed every 3 months from 3 weeks (n=127) to 4 weeks (n=134) and back again. On all three specific days the VAS, the Roland-Morris-Questionnaire (RMQ) and the SF-36 were applied. The distance between fingers and floor and the Schober-sign were measured on the first and second day. The Mainz Pain Staging System (MPSS) was used to classify pain chronicity. RESULTS: On the day of discharge all parameters show an improvement. When the differing rehabilitation times are compared we can see the longer period scores better in VAS and Schober. 6 months after the rehabilitation all parameters show a slight improvement over the first day--except VAS--and a deterioration compared to the second--except RMQ. No significant predominance of the 4 week rehabilitation period is recognizable. CONCLUSION: The length of the rehabilitation measure alone seems to have no real effect on the permanence of the positive treatment of back complaints. It has advantages, though, for the result on the day of discharge.
