BACKGROUND: Non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP) is a major health problem. Current studies indicate that cortical alterations may be a contributing factor to persistent pain in affected patients. In other patients with chronic pain and identified cortical alterations, sensory training approaches showed initial effectiveness. It is unclear whether these approaches are also effective in patients with NSCLBP. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this pilot study was to assess the degree of possible treatment effects of a graphaesthesia training and to investigate its feasibility. METHOD: Nine patients were randomised into two groups. During the three-week intervention period the control group received usual physiotherapy care whilst the intervention group performed an additional 20 minutes graphaesthesia training twice a week. RESULTS: The comparison of the two measurement points within the groups as well as between the groups at measurement point two showed no significant differences. Descriptive data revealed a tendency of improved graphaesthesia error rates and two-point discrimination thresholds as well as pain severity, pain interference and physical function in the intervention group. CONCLUSIONS: In the clinical physiotherapeutic context graphaestesia training is feasible and does not lead to any unwanted adverse effects. Regarding the effectiveness there exist only tendencies. Due to the pilot character of the study, the results should be interpreted with caution. More research studies with larger sample sizes regarding combined sensorimotor exercise programmes for NSCLBP are necessary, especially extended by a preceding classification of patients into subgroups.

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