Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation in Chronic Low Back Pain

Koç University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Low Back Pain

Treatments: Other: Sham neuromuscular electrical stimulation and core stabilization exercise; Other: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and core stabilization exercise

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04119895

2018.174.IRB1.022

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study evaluates whether there is additive effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation applied to lower lumbar region to core stabilization exercises in the management of chronic low back pain. Participants will randomly divide into two groups; half will receive core stabilization exercises and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in combination, while the other half will receive core stabilization exercises and sham NMES.

Full description

Patients with low back pain cannot activate enough the deep lumbar stabilization muscles necessary for spinal stability, such as transversus abdominis, lumbar multifidus.

Core stabilization exercises are valuable in motor relearning of coactivation of deep lumbar and abdominal muscles and in stabilization of the spine. Hence, they are important in the management of chronic low back pain.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been used in the training and strengthening of skeletal muscles for many years. It is shown that NMES can contract deep lumbar stabilization muscles and changes in muscle activation are significantly associated with pain reduction in patients with low back pain.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 18 years or older,
• Pain intensity greater than 3 over 10,
• Pain duration more than 3 months,
• Consent to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria

• Previous lumbar surgery,
• Radiculopathy,
• Non-mechanical back pain,
• Acute low back pain

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

---

30 participants in 2 patient groups

NMES and exercise

Experimental group

Description:

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and core stabilization exercise

Treatment:

Other: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and core stabilization exercise

Sham NMES and exercise

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Sham neuromuscular electrical stimulation and core stabilization exercise

Treatment:

Other: Sham neuromuscular electrical stimulation and core stabilization exercise