Electroacupuncture, Exercise Program, Low Back Pain
Conditions
Keywords
chronic low back pain, physical therapy, randomized clinical trial, exercise program
Brief summary
This study evaluate the effectiveness that exists when performing a treatment based on a table of exercises for strengthening the lumbar muscles versus a treatment based on electropuncture in patients with chronic low back pain.
Detailed description
Low back pain has a high prevalence in all European countries, appearing as the main cause of activity limitation in people under 45 years of age. It has got a high recurrence, which decreases the activities of daily life, facilitates the focus of attention to pain and increases the fear of movement, with the consequent muscular atrophy. A serie cases will be conducted comparing a a table of exercises versus electropuncture. Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness that exists when performing a tratment based on a table of exercises for strengthening the lumbar muscles versus a treatment based on electropuncture. Methods: A sample of 12 subjects with chronic low back pain will be assigned to an exercise program or dry electropuncture treatment (EPS), during 4 weeks (2 sessions/week). The measurement variables selected for the study were the followings: Straight Leg Raise, Vasalva, Gaesslen test, algometry (pressure pain threshold), goniometry (measurement of the range of motion), Scale of disability for low back pain of Oswestry, Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), Visual Analogue Scale (EVA), Mcquade's Test and the Roland-Morrys' Questionnaire, developing a pre-treatment and post-treatment assessment.
Interventions
OTHERPercutaneous electrostimulation treatment (EPS)
Apply dry needles in a tight band of some of the muscles that most affect the appearance of low back pain, such as: paravertebral, lumbar quadrate, gluteus medius and pyramidal, and administer analgesic microcurrents.
OTHERExercise program
It will be consist in a program of lumbo-pelvic stabilization exercises and strengthening of CORE.
Sponsors
Universidad de Almeria
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
Single-Blind
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
25 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Chronic non-specific low back pain persisting ≥ 3 months. * Age between 25 and 60 years. * Not currently receiving physical therapy.
Exclusion criteria
* Presence of lumbar stenosis. * Presence of clinical signs of radiculopathy. * Diagnosis of spondylolisthesis. * Diagnosis of fibromyalgia. * Treatment with corticosteroid or pharmachological medication within the paset 2 weeks. * A history of spinal surgery. * Central or peripheral nervous system disease
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Algometry | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | An instrument for measuring the degree of sensitivity to pain. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Beck's Depression Inventory | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | The state of depression will be determined with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), a self-applied 21-item questionnaire that assesses a wide spectrum of depressive symptoms. It focuses on the cognitive components of depression, which represent around 50% of the total questionnaire score. |
| Visual Analog Scale | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | Pain will be assessed with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), which assesses the pain intensity and degree of relief experienced by the patient (scored of 0 = no pain; 10 = unbearable pain). |
| Goniometry | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | Measurement of the range of motion |
| Roland-Morrys' Questionnaire | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | This is a self-reported questionnaire consisting in 24 items reflecting limitations in different activities of daily living attributed to low back pain including walking, vending over, sitting, lying down, dressing, sleeping, self-care and daily activities |
| Mcquade Test | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | It measures the isometric endurance of trunk flexion muscles |
| Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index. | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | It has 10 items associated to activities of daily living, each item has a puntuation fron 0 to 5 points |
Countries
Spain
Outcome results
None listed