Twenty years ago, Gregory Hicks, who is now a Distinguished Professor of Health Sciences at the University of Delaware, began researching chronic low back pain in people over the age of 60. At that time, this topic was not commonly studied in the United States. Even though more research is being done on back pain today, studies specifically focusing on older adults are still rare.
Hicks believes that older adults should not be neglected in medical research, especially when it comes to painful conditions like back pain. He feels strongly that people should receive proper care no matter how old they are, and he is dedicated to improving health outcomes for older adults.
Hicks’s passion for helping older adults comes from his awareness of health disparities. He points out that just like race and ethnicity can lead to differences in health care, age can also affect the level of care people receive. To address this, Hicks has been working hard to make sure older adults are not left behind when it comes to medical treatment for back pain.
With support from the National Institute on Aging, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, Hicks recently led a major clinical trial. He partnered with research teams from Duke University and the University of Pittsburgh to study a new way of treating back pain in older adults. This study was called the Manual Therapy and Strengthening the Hip (MASH) Trial, and it took place from November 2019 to April 2022.
The main goal of the study was to find out if specific physical therapy treatments could help older people who suffer from both chronic low back pain and hip problems. According to Hicks, this group of people often experiences more pain and disability because of the combination of hip and back issues.
The MASH trial was groundbreaking because it is believed to be the first clinical trial to focus on this specific group of older adults. A total of 184 participants took part in the study. They were randomly assigned to receive one of two types of physical therapy: one that focused on the hips and one that focused on the spine.
These treatments were carried out over eight weeks at several research locations, including the Physical Therapy Clinic at the University of Delaware’s Science, Technology, and Advanced Research (STAR) Campus. During the study, researchers carefully measured the participants’ pain, how well they could walk, and how easily they could get up from a chair.
The results of the study were published in The Lancet Rheumatology, and the findings were encouraging. Both types of physical therapy helped people walk faster, which is important for maintaining independence and mobility. However, the group that received hip-focused therapy showed even greater improvements.
Right after the treatment ended, these participants reported less disability from their back pain. They also performed better in chair-rise tests, which measure leg strength and balance. Although the difference between the two groups became less noticeable after six months, the immediate benefits of hip-focused therapy were clear.
Hicks has been studying this connection between hip problems and back pain for many years. His earlier research followed older adults with chronic low back pain for a whole year, looking specifically at how their hip health affected their pain and mobility. Through his work, Hicks has developed a strong belief that not all back pain is the same.
He argues that people with back pain should not be treated with a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, he suggests that doctors should look for specific patterns in their patients, like hip weakness, and adjust treatments accordingly.
He calls this approach “precision medicine” and “precision rehabilitation.” In fact, Hicks is now using advanced technology, like artificial intelligence, to identify different sub-groups of people with back pain. His goal is to provide more effective and personalized treatments for each group.
Looking forward, Hicks plans to continue his work by running more clinical trials. He hopes to fine-tune hip-focused physical therapy and explore treatments for other types of back pain in older adults.
His dedication to improving the lives of older people with back pain is clear, and he challenges the idea that older adults should be left out of important medical research. He believes that everyone, no matter their age, deserves proper treatment for pain and discomfort.
Hicks’s work is especially important because chronic low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Many older adults live with this kind of pain every day, which affects their ability to move, work, and enjoy life.
Hicks’s research not only aims to reduce this pain but also brings attention to a group that is often overlooked in medical studies. His dedication to this cause is helping to change the way we think about pain management for older adults, providing hope for better treatments and improved quality of life.
For those looking to improve their back health, it may be worth exploring different treatment options, including physical therapy that focuses on both the spine and the hips.
Additionally, researchers are studying other supplements, like krill oil, which may also help improve muscle health in older adults. As Hicks continues his work, he hopes to shine a light on the importance of caring for older adults with chronic pain and encourage more inclusive research in the future.
If you care about pain, please read studies that vegetarian women have higher risk of hip fracture, and these vitamins could help reduce bone fracture risk.
For more information about wellness, please see recent studies that Krill oil could improve muscle health in older people, and Jarlsberg cheese could help prevent bone thinning disease.
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