J Korean Phys Ther.  2017 Apr;29(2):85-90. 10.18857/jkpt.2017.29.2.85.

Effects of Manual Therapy on Pain and Function of Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

• Kim K
• Lee KS
• Choi SJ
• Jeon CB
• Kim GJ

• KMID: 2385183
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.18857/jkpt.2017.29.2.85

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to determine how a manual therapy (joint mobilization and flexion-distraction technique) would affect pain and function with the chronic low back pain.
METHODS
Thirty patients were assigned to either the experimental group (n=15) or the control group (n=15). Patients in the experimental group performed joint mobilization and flexion-distraction technique. Patients in the control group performed spinal decompression therapy. Both exercises were performed for three days per week, for a period of six weeks. Pain was measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and functional disability was measured using the Oswestry disability index (ODI). A paired t-test was used for identify differences before and after treatment, and an independent t-test was used to identify differences between treatment groups.
RESULTS
In the within group comparison, the experimental group and control group differed significantly for all variables (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in any variables between groups (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION
The above results confirmed that it is necessary to confirm the various benefits of therapy with the joint mobilization and the flexion-distraction technique. The findings of the concerned study will be useful to doctors applying therapy to treat patients with the chronic low back pain.

Keyword

Manual therapy; Chronic low back pain; VAS; ODI

MeSH Terms

Decompression
Exercise
Humans
Joints
Low Back Pain*
Musculoskeletal Manipulations*