Impact of Electromagnetic Field Therapy on Pain and Function in Patients With Mechanical Back Pain

Cairo University30 enrolled

Overview

This study aims to investigate the impact of electromagnetic field therapy on pain severity and functional disability in mechanical back pain patients suffering from myofascial trigger points.

Lower back pain, or LBP, is a major global health issue that affects functioning, social participation, and personal financial prosperity on a variety of biophysical, psychological, and social levels. In today's industrial society, it impacts roughly 50-80% of people who are of working age. Mechanical back pain patients suffer from myofascial trigger points (MTrPs), which are classified as either active or latent. Activated MTrPs cause either sudden onset of pain or in response to movement, stretching, or compression. Latent MTrPs are typically symptom-free, but when squeezed, they can re-create pain or irritation. Muscle weakness and limited ROM are other common signs of mechanical back pain, along with local as well as referred pain that affect patients functional activities. Recently, there has been a focus on non-pharmacotherapy for low back pain. One of them is electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) which uses electromagnetic field pulses to stimulate tissue healing without causing heat damage to the tissue. The FDA has given electromagnetic field therapy devices approval for treating post-operative pain, swelling, and osteoarthritis. Furthermore, PEMF devices are frequently used to treat bone fractures, inflammation, arthritis, pain, swelling, and chronic wounds. Thus, the purpose of this study is to ascertain how electromagnetic field therapy affects the degree of pain and functional impairment in mechanical back pain patients suffering from myofascial trigger points.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Mechanical Low Back Pain

Interventions

Pulsed electromagnetic fieldRADIATION

The experimental group will be treated with an ASA magnetic field device (Automatic PMT Quattro Pro) at a frequency of 50 Hz in addition to the traditional physical therapy program. Each session will consist of 20 minutes of the patient lying prone and exposed to low-intensity 20-gauss PEMF.

traditional physical therapy programOTHER

A traditional physical therapy program will include Infrared radiation for 20 minutes per session for 3 sessions per week for 4 weeks Ultrasonic: 1 MHz; continuous mode of application: 1.5 w/cm2 for 5 minutes; 3 sessions per week for 4 weeks. stretching exercises for the hamstring, calf muscles, and back muscles. 3 sessions per week for 4 weeks Strengthening exercises for back and abdominal muscles.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 20 YearsMax age: 40 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. The patients age from 20 to 40 years for both genders. 2. Patients (office worker) with mechanical back pain for 3 months ago and has not been diagnose as a specific disease or spinal abnormality. 3. Patients suffering from active MTrPS in lower back muscles. 4. The study patients must be willing to participate in the study. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Neurological, systemic illness and infectious diseases such as rheumatologic diseases, tumor. 2. Psychiatric/mental deficit. 3. Patients who had a previous surgical history (within 6 months) were also excluded prior to the baseline assessment. 4. Vertebral compression fracture 5. Pregnancy and lactation. 6. Existing lower limb symptoms. 7. Cardiopulmonary disorders with reduced activity tolerance. -

Locations (1)

Ghada Mohamed Rashad Koura

Abhā, Saudi Arabia

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

pain intensity

A Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) will be used by the patient to mark his or her level of pain, usually 10 cm long, ranging from no pain or discomfort (zero) to the worst pain that the patient can possibly feel.

Time frame: up to four weeks

Secondary Outcomes

functional disability

Arabic version of Oswestry Disability Index will be used for assessment of functional disability

Time frame: up to four weeks

lumbar flexion and extension assessment

modified-modified Schober test will be used to assess lumbar flexion and extension

Time frame: up to four weeks

lumbar lateral flexion assessment

tape measurement will be used to assess lumbar lateral flexion

Time frame: up to four weeks

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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