Cochrane review finds little to no evidence that lumbar supports or other assistive devices help chronic low back pain

A Cochrane systematic review identified eight randomised controlled trials (501 participants), all evaluating lumbar supports, for adults with chronic low back pain; no eligible trials were found for other assistive technologies such as mobility or gait aids Meta-analysis (Arienti et al.1). Compared with no intervention, lumbar supports showed little to no difference in pain intensity or disability at three months (low-certainty evidence). Added to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, lumbar supports produced a small reduction in short-term pain intensity (low-certainty evidence), though the effect on disability in that comparison was very uncertain.

Certainty of evidence was rated low to very low throughout, and no included study reported on falls, adverse events, or withdrawals due to adverse events, leaving the potential harms of lumbar supports unexamined by this evidence base.

For AHP-led equipment provision, the review supports caution against routine lumbar-support prescribing as a standalone intervention for chronic low back pain, and identifies the complete absence of eligible evidence for other assistive mobility devices as a distinct gap rather than a tested and rejected option.