Table 2 Exclusion Criteria
Exclusion criteria | Rationale | Source* |
|---|---|---|
Cancer (other than basal cell or squamous cell cancer of skin) | Back pain due to, or possibly result of, specific disease/condition | A, TI |
Discitis | Â | A |
Disk disease | Â | A |
Fracture of vertebra | Â | A, TI |
Infectious cause of back pain | Â | TI |
Scoliosis, severe or progressive | Â | A, TI |
Spinal stenosis | Â | A, TI |
Osteoporosis | Â | A, TI |
Spondylolisthesis | Â | TI |
Sciatica | Back problem of complicated nature, including medico-legal issues | TI |
Seeking/receiving compensation/litigation for back pain | Â | TI |
Surgery, recent, in the past 6 months | Â | A, TI |
Surgery, previous low back, within 3 years | Â | TI |
Pregnancy | Safety not confirmed | TI |
Stroke, recent in the past 6 months | Condition might make it difficult to receive or complete the treatments | A |
Paralysis | Â | A, TI |
Physically unable to undergo massage sessions (e.g., cannot lie prone for 45 minutes) | Â | TI |
Psychoses, major | Â | A, TI |
Schedules do not permit attending treatment sessions at times they are offered | Â | TI |
Vision problems, severe | Â | TI |
Hearing problems, severe | Â | TI |
Lack of transportation | Â | TI |
Seizure disorder | Condition might contribute to increased risk of severe adverse event | A, TI |
Fibromyalgia, severe | Condition/circumstance might confound treatment effects or interpretation of data | TI |
Rheumatoid arthritis/Ankylosing spondylitis | Â | A, TI |
Other disabling chronic conditions (e.g., disabling heart or lung disease, diabetic neuropathy, receiving treatment for hepatitis) | Â | TI |
Planning on seeing health care provider other than primary care provider for low back pain | Â | TI |
Dementia | Condition would make it difficult for fully informed consent | A |
Unable to read or speak English | Â | TI |
Has had massage in the past 12 months for any reason | Wants massage for free, or potential for preconceived notions about massage possibly confounding data | TI |
Low back pain has lasted < 3 months | Low back pain not chronic | TI |
Bothersomeness of pain score < 3 | Back pain too mild to be able to detect improvement | TI |
Hypersensitivity to touch or loss or sensation | Inappropriate conditions for massage | TI |
Cardiovascular compromise | Â | A, TI |
Deep vein thrombosis | Â | A, TI |