Adding connective tissue manipulation to physiotherapy for chronic low back pain improves pain, mobility, and well-being : a randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Journal of exercise rehabilitation Vol. 15; no. 2; pp. 308 - 315
• Main Authors: Celenay, Seyda Toprak, Kaya, Derya Ozer, Ucurum, Sevtap Gunay
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Society of Exercise Rehabilitation 01.04.2019; 한국운동재활학회
• Subjects: Original; 심리과학; Connective tissue manipulation; Low back pain; Physical therapy
• ISSN: 2288-176X; 2288-1778
• DOI: 10.12965/jer.1836634.317

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of connective tissue ma-nipulation (CTM) for improving pain, mobility, and well-being in chronic low back pain (CLBP). Sixty-six patients with CLBP were randomized to three groups: CTM, sham massage (SM) and control groups. The groups got standardized physiotherapy and the related applications 5 days/wk, 3 weeks. Pain intensity, mobility, and well-being (Hospital Anx-iety and Depression Scale [HADS], Oswestry Disability Index [ODI], and Short Form-36 [SF-36]) were assessed before and after the applications. Pain, mobility, and disability improved in all groups (P<0.05). There were differences in resting pain, HADS, and SF-36 scores in CTM, resting pain in SM, and SF-36 scores in controls (P<0.05). Activity pain, HADS scores decreased, mobility and physical component of the SF-36 in-creased in CTM compared to SM (P<0.05). Pain, ODI, and HADS scores decreased, mobility and SF-36 increased in CTM, and ODI scores de-creased in SM compared to controls (P<0.05). In conclusion, pain in-tensity during activity and at night and disability decreased, and spinal mobility increased in all groups. However, CTM showed superiority in improving pain, mobility, and well-being in patients with CLBP.