This study evaluates the treatment of hamstrings in the management of patients with mechanical low back pain of non-specific origin. Half of the participants will received the application of a dry needle technique in the most hyperalgesic areas of the muscle, while the other half will received the same technique in areas not hyperalgesic.
Shortening of the hamstrings could be related to low back pain.Therefore, the treatment of these muscles may improve pain. The dry needling technique seems to improve the extensibility of the muscles. This technique seems to be more effective when is applied in the most hyperalgesic areas related to the participant's pain. In order to demonstrate this hypothesis, the investigators will check if the dry needling technique produces the same effects when is applied in other areas of those same muscles
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
50
Participants with nonspecific mechanical low back pain will be assessed for the hamstring muscle. Subsequently, the most sensitive areas associated with the shortening of the muscle will be located and the technique will be applied to this area.
Participants with nonspecific mechanical low back pain will be assessed for the hamstring muscle. Subsequently, the most sensitive areas associated with the shortening of the muscle will be located and the technique will be applied out of this area.
Centro Investigación Fisioterapia y Dolor
Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
Instituto Fisioterapia y Dolor
Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
Low back pain
The investigators use a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to determine the intensity of the patient with blowback pain.The VAS is a 100-mm line, oriented horizontally, with one end representing "no pain" and the other end representing "worst pain." Subjects will be asked to rate their current pain with a mark on the scale.
Time frame: Change from Baseline Pressure Pain Threshold at 3 months
Disability with Oswestry Disability Index
The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is a questionnaire used by clinicians and researchers to quantify disability for low back pain.The self-completed questionnaire contains ten topics concerning intensity of pain, lifting, ability to care for oneself, ability to walk, ability to sit, sexual function, ability to stand, social life, sleep quality, and ability to travel.Each topic category is followed by 6 statements describing different potential scenarios in the patient's life relating to the topic. The patient then checks the statement which most closely resembles their situation. Each question is scored on a scale of 0-5 with the first statement being zero and indicating the least amount of disability and the last statement is scored 5 indicating most severe disability. The scores for all questions answered are summed, then multiplied by two to obtain the index (range 0 to 100). Zero is equated with no disability and 100 is the maximum disability possible
Time frame: Change from Baseline disability at 3 months
The extensibility of the hamstring muscle
The extensibility of the hamstring muscle will be measured by the popliteal or active knee extension (AKE) test, with the patient supine on the stretcher, with the contralateral limb in extension, will placed with the hip at 90 degrees of flexion. While maintaining this position, the clinician tries to extend the knee. Limitation of knee extension is measured with a goniometer in degrees.
Time frame: Change from Baseline disability at 3 months
Pressure Pain Threshold
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The PPT serves to determine the sensitivity of hiperalgesic focus. The investigators will done it with one algometer. A lower threshold is a worse result. A higher threshold is a better result.
Time frame: Change from Baseline Pressure Pain Threshold at 3 months