Effectiveness of holistic physiotherapy for low back pain.

BACKGROUND

Low back pain is a term used to designate a wide and complete assemblage of symptoms that has become a cause of disability in the 21th century man. Until recently, it was believed that low back pain caused by intervertebral disc disease and degenerative progresses. At present, an increasing number of studies are linking the condition to conditions of osteoarticular and musculoligamentous structures in the spine and the associated statics of the pelvis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study compared the outcomes of two different plysiotherapeutic approaches to treatment of low pack pain in group of 60 female patients. In the experimental group, a customised programme of treatment was based on postisometric relaxation of muscles and ligaments, active mobilisation of the spine, Kibler Fold mobilisation, Kinesiology Taping and Maigne's relaxing exercises. the control group underwent electrotherapy procedures and performed a set of exercises usually recommended for low back pain. Intensity of pain and difficulty in performing daily activities were evaluated at baseline and on completion of the treatment: the measurements included mobility of the spine, static balance of the pelvis, tenderness and tension of muscles and ligaments and presence of cell-pain zones. Statistics analysis used basic statistics concerning the distribution of the examined characteristics and a comparison of means in independent groups using the Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS

As a result of the treatment, low back pain was reduced in about 90% of patients in the experimental group, while static balance of the pelvis, tone of the muscles and ligaments and spinal mobility improved in approximately 80% of these patients. In the control group, radiating pain decreased and ligaments in 25% of participants, white the other parameters did not change significantly. The results were statistically significant at < 0.05.

CONCLUSION

These results confirm a high holistic physiotherapy including elements of osteopathy such as post-isometric muscle relaxation, active mobilisation, Kibler Fold mobilisation, customised self-therapy and Kinesiology Taping.