A Study on Patients with Pathological Low Back Pain to Prove Clinical Benefits of Homeopathy

Background: Little is known about the effects of providing massage as a combination therapy (CT) with lumbopelvic stability training (LPST) in management of chronic nonspecific low back pain (CLBP) among elite female weight lifters. It is unclear whether massage therapy (MT) together with LPST has any additional clinical benefits for individuals with CLBP.Purpose: The current study compares the thera-peutic effects of CT against MT as a stand-alone intervention on pain intensity (PI), pain pressure threshold (PPT), tissue blood flow (TBF), and lumbopelvic stability (LPS) among elite weight lifters with CLBP.Setting: The study was conducted at the campus for National Olympic weight lifting training camp.Participants: A total of 16 professional female elite weight lifting athletes who were training for Olympic weight lifting competition participated in the study.Research Design: A within-subject, repeated measures, crossover, single-blinded, randomized allocation study.Intervention: The athletes were randomized into three sessions of CT and MT with a time interval of 24 hrs within sessions and a wash out period of four weeks between the sessions.Main Outcome Measures: The PI, PPT, TBF, and LPS were measured before and after each session repeatedly in both groups of intervention. The changes in the PI, PPT, TBF, and LPS were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of vari-ance (ANOVA).Results: The results showed that the CT signifi-cantly demonstrated greater effects in reducing pain perception (45%–51%), improving pain pressure threshold (15% up to 25%), and increas-ing tissue blood flow (131%–152%) than MT (p < .001).Conclusion: The combination therapy of mas-sage therapy and LPST is likely to provide more clinical benefits in terms of PI, PPT, and TBF when compared to massage as a stand-alone therapy among individuals with chronic nonspecific low back pain.

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Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined With Therapeutic Exercise in Chronic Low Back Pain: Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Physical Therapy ◽

10.1093/ptj/pzaa105 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 100 (9) ◽

pp. 1595-1602

Author(s):

Polyanna Gomes Lacerda Cavalcante ◽

Abrahão Fontes Baptista ◽

Vinícius Saura Cardoso ◽

Marcelo de Carvalho Filgueiras ◽

Renata Hydee Hasue ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trial ◽

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Direct Current ◽

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽

Low Back ◽

Therapeutic Exercise ◽

Direct Current Stimulation ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Clinical Benefits

Abstract Objective Although some studies have shown the clinical benefits of therapeutic exercise in chronic nonspecific low back pain, the effect sizes are generally small to moderate and recurrence rates are high. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been used to modulate pain-processing systems and motor outputs and has the potential to optimize the clinical benefits of therapeutic exercise. However, evidence for this combination is still lacking. The purpose of this protocol for a randomized clinical trial is to investigate whether the combination of tDCS and therapeutic exercise is more effective in relieving pain than therapeutic exercise alone. Methods This 2-arm, randomized controlled clinical trial will take place at the Federal University of Piauí, Brazil. Sixty patients will be randomized into 2 groups to receive tDCS (real/sham) + exercise therapies for 12 sessions over a period of 4 weeks. Pain intensity, sensory and affective aspects of pain, physical functioning, kinesiophobia, and global perceived effect will be recorded before treatment and at 4 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after randomization. Data will be collected by an examiner unaware of (blind to) the treatment allocation. Impact This trial can potentially provide important information and assist in clinical decision-making on the combined use of tDCS to optimize the clinical benefits of therapeutic exercise in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain.

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