Evaluation of the effectiveness of alpha training for acute nonspecific neck and lower back pain using stabilometry
Impaired postural control and balance and abnormal compensatory postural strategies are one of the pathogenetic mechanisms of development and chronicity of acute nonspecific neck and lower back pain. Stabilometry is a common and objective diagnostic technique that evaluates the postural control. The purpose is to determine the effectiveness of the alpha neurofeedback training for acute nonspecific neck and lower back pain, using the stabilometry. Material and methods. The study included 60 patients with acute nonspecific vertebrogenic pain. The patients were divided into two equal groups (30 people in each group) by random sampling depending on the treatment protocol. The neurofeedback technique and basic therapy was applied for patients of the main group while 30 patients of the control group had only basic therapy applied to them. All measurements were performed before and after treatment. Postural control was assessed using computerized posturography (stabilometry). Postural variables examined were the centre of pressure (CoP) location, CoP average sway, total CoP area sway, and CoP sway velocity. The effectiveness of treatment was assessed by the dynamics of postural stability, the pain score (VAS), the anxiety score (SCL-90-R) and the alpha rhythm index. Results. The intervention group displayed significant (p < 0,05) improvement in postural stability at the end of treatment. There were significant differences between the intervention and control groups in CoP average sway and total CoP area sway. Both groups exhibited a decrease in anxiety scale. Conclusions. The alpha neurofeedback training yielded improvements in posturography and pain outcomes. Our study also confirms the applicability of stabilometry in evaluating postural instability in patients with nonspecific neck and lower back pain.