Low back pain affects about 60% to 90% of the working-age population in modern industrial society. Chronic mechanical low back pain (CMLBP) is the most common problem of the working-age population in modern industrial society; it causes a substantial economic burden due to the wide use of medical services and absence from work. The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the short-term effect of acupuncture dry needle in treatment of chronic mechanical low back pain.
Low back pain affects about 60% to 90% of the working-age population in modern industrial society. Chronic mechanical low back pain (CMLBP) is the most common problem of the working-age population in modern industrial society; it causes a substantial economic burden due to the wide use of medical services and absence from work. The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the short-term effect of acupuncture dry needle in treatment of chronic mechanical low back pain. Thirty patients their age ranged from 20 - 45 years participated in our study and divided randomly into two equal groups suffering from nonspecific low back pain. The first group (A) consist of 15 patients receiving acupuncture dry needle over trigger points of back muscles followed by stretching and strengthening exercises for back muscles, the second group (B) consist of 15 patients receiving only stretching and strengthening exercises for back muscles. The following parameters including pain severity, functional disability and lumbar range of motion (flexion, extension, right side bending and left side bending) were measured before and after treatment.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
30
The muscles that have been treated iliocostalis lumborum, quadratus lumborum, gluteus medius and piriformis muscles. The patients received 2 sessions per week for 2 weeks.
Walid Kamal Abdelbasset
Al Kharj, Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia
Pain intensity
Pain was assessed by Visual Analog Scale (VAS). VAS is a scale that allows continuous data analysis and uses a 10 cm line with 0 in one end (no pain) and 10 (worst pain) on the other end. Patients were asked to place a mark along the line to denote their level of pain.
Time frame: Four weeks
Functional disability
Functional disability of each patient was assessed by Oswestery disability questionnaire. It is valid and reliable tool. It is consists of 10 multiple choice questions for back pain, patient select one sentence out of six that best describe his pain, Higher scores indicated great pain. Scores (0-20%) minimal disability, Scores (20%- 40%) moderate, Scores (40% - 60%) severe, Scores (60%-80%) crippled, Scores (80% - 100%) patients are confined to bed.
Time frame: Four weeks
Lumbar range of motion
Modified-modified Schober flexion technique was used based on the work of Williams et al. This method is reliable and valid in measuring range of motion of lumbar flexion. The investigator stood behind the standing patient to identify the posterior superior iliac spines with her or his thumbs, and then an ink mark was drawn along the midline of the lumbar spine horizontal to the posterior superior iliac spines. Another ink mark was made 15 cm above the original mark; the distance between superior and inferior skin marks was measured. Then the investigator instructed the patient to bend forward into full lumbar flexion and the new distance between superior and inferior skin marks was measured.
Time frame: Four weeks
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