Effects of Manual Therapy on Pain and Function of Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine how a manual therapy (joint mobilization and flexion‐distraction technique) would affect pain and function with the chronic low back pain. METHODS: Thirty patients were assigned to either the experimental group (n=15) or the control group (n=15). Patients in the experimental group performed joint mobilization and flexion‐distraction technique. Patients in the control group performed spinal decompression therapy. Both exercises were performed for three days per week, for a period of six weeks. Pain was measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and functional disability was measured using the Oswestry disability index (ODI). A paired t‐test was used for identify differences before and after treatment, and an independent t‐test was used to identify differences between treatment groups. RESULTS: In the within group comparison, the experimental group and control group differed significantly for all variables (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in any variables between groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The above results confirmed that it is necessary to confirm the various benefits of therapy with the joint mobilization and the flexion‐distraction technique. The findings of the concerned study will be useful to doctors applying therapy to treat patients with the chronic low back pain.