Back Pain, Respiratory Dysfunction, Thoracic Discopathy
Conditions
Keywords
Physiotherapy, Breathing Exercises, Pulmonary Function Tests, Psychosocial Well-Being, Quality of Life
Brief summary
Background and Objective: Information regarding the effects of physiotherapy on quality of life and alterations in pulmonary function tests among patients with thoracic discopathy is notably limited in the literature. This study aims to compare the effects of the classical physiotherapy approach and the addition of breathing exercises to classical physiotherapy on quality of life and respiratory function tests in patients with thoracic discopathy. Study Design and Methods: This controlled and randomized study includes 40 patients diagnosed with thoracic discopathy. Participants are divided into two groups. The first group undergoes 15 sessions of classical physiotherapy consisting of ultrasound, TENS, hot packs, and posture exercises. The second group receives the same classical physiotherapy program with the addition of respiratory exercises. The patients' disability, psychosocial well-being, and pulmonary function are assessed using standardized scales and questionnaires at baseline (pre-treatment) and after the 15-session intervention (post-treatment).
Interventions
OTHERTraditional Physiotherapy
Application of 15 sessions of ultrasound, TENS, hot packs, and posture exercises.
OTHERBreathing Exercise
Implementation of a respiratory exercise program.
Sponsors
Medipol University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
The study was designed as single-blinded; the researcher responsible for conducting the pre- and post-treatment clinical questionnaires and pulmonary assessments was blinded to the patients' group allocation to minimize detection bias.
Intervention model description
A total of 40 eligible patients with thoracic discopathy were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to one of two parallel groups: one group received traditional physiotherapy alone, and the other group received traditional physiotherapy combined with a respiratory exercise program
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
25 Years to 68 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Clinical diagnosis of thoracic discopathy * Planned to receive physiotherapy as part of their treatment
Exclusion criteria
* Participants with pre-existing respiratory system abnormalities * Participants with a disease affecting the rib cage
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second (FEV1) | Baseline (before treatment) and immediately after the completion of the 15-session physiotherapy program. | FEV1 measures the volume of air forcefully exhaled in the first second of a forced exhalation, assessed via spirometry. The unit of measure is Liters (L). A higher value indicates better pulmonary function. |
| Change in 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) Physical Functioning Score | Baseline (before treatment) and immediately after the completion of the 15-session physiotherapy program | The SF-36 questionnaire assesses health-related quality of life. The physical functioning subscale evaluates limitations in performing physical activities. The score ranges from 0 to 100. Higher scores represent better physical functioning and a higher quality of life. |
| Change in Resting Pain Intensity assessed by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) | Baseline (before treatment) and immediately after the completion of the 15-session physiotherapy program. | Pain intensity at rest is evaluated using a visual analog scale. The scale ranges from 0 to 10, where 0 represents "no pain" and 10 represents the "worst imaginable pain". A lower score indicates a reduction in pain intensity and clinical improvement. |
| Change in FEV1/FVC Ratio Percentage | Baseline (before treatment) and immediately after the completion of the 15-session physiotherapy program. | The ratio of Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1) to Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), expressed as a percentage (%). This is measured via spirometry to assess airflow limitation. A higher percentage generally indicates better respiratory capacity. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed