Short-term Effects of Exercise Program Versus Electropuncture in Patients With Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Universidad de Almeria

Status: Completed

Conditions: Exercise Program; Electroacupuncture; Low Back Pain

Treatments: Other: Exercise program; Other: Percutaneous electrostimulation treatment (EPS)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03794869

UAL-477

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Full 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.

Enrollment: 68 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 25 to 60 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

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

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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68 participants in 2 patient groups

Exercise program

Experimental group

Description:

It will be consist in a program of lumbo-pelvic stabilization exercises and strengthening of the core: awareness of breathing, front and side plate abdominal, glute bridge/hip elevations, lift extended leg, pelvic tilt, hamstring stretch, strengthening lower abdominals, cat-camel posture, trunk rotations with flexed knees, rolling in sitting and lumbar extension with hip extensión in prone

Treatment:

Other: Percutaneous electrostimulation treatment (EPS)

Percutaneous electrostimulation treatment (EPS)

Active Comparator group

Description:

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.

Treatment:

Other: Exercise program