Chronic low back pain is a major public health burden with only limited evidence of effectiveness for complementary and traditional therapies. Gua Sha is a traditional East Asian therapy traditionally used in the treatment of spinal pain. This study aimed to test the efficacy of Gua Sha therapy in patients with chronic low back pain A total of 50 patients with chronic low back pain were randomized to either two Gua Sha treatments (n=25) or a waitlist control group (n=25). Primary outcome measure was current pain intensity on a 100-mm visual analog scale; secondary outcome measures included back-related function (Oswestry Disability Index), movement-related pain (modified Pain on Movement Questionnaire), as well as pressure pain threshold, mechanical detection threshold, and vibration detection threshold.
Chronic low back pain is a major public health burden with only limited evidence of effectiveness for complementary and traditional therapies. Gua Sha is a traditional East Asian therapy traditionally used in the treatment of spinal pain. This study aimed to test the efficacy of Gua Sha therapy in patients with chronic low back pain A total of 50 patients with chronic low back pain were randomized to either two Gua Sha treatments (n=25) or a waitlist control group (n=25). Primary outcome measure was current pain intensity on a 100-mm visual analog scale; secondary outcome measures included back-related function (Oswestry Disability Index), movement-related pain (modified Pain on Movement Questionnaire), as well as pressure pain threshold, mechanical detection threshold, and vibration detection threshold.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
50
Pain intensity
100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 0mm meaning 'no pain at all' to 100mm meaning 'the worst pain imaginable'
Time frame: 12 weeks
Pain on movement
Pain on Movement Questionnaire (POM)
Time frame: 12 weeks
Functional disability
Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)
Time frame: 12 weeks
Pressure-pain threshold (PPT)
PPT was measured using a digital algometer (Somedic AB, Horby, Sweden).
Time frame: 12 weeks
Mechanical detection threshold (MDT)
MDT was measured with a set of von Frey filaments (Somedic Sales AB, Horby, Sweden).
Time frame: 12 weeks
Vibration detection threshold (VDT)
VDT was determined using a Rydel-Seiffer tuning fork (64 Hz, 8/8 scale)
Time frame: 12 weeks
Adverse events
Time frame: 12 weeks
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