The Effectiveness Of Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy In Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Prospective, Randomized, Single-Blinded Pilot Study

• Published in: Clinical interventions in aging Vol. 14; pp. 1859 - 1869
• Main Authors: Walewicz, Karolina, Taradaj, Jakub, Rajfur, Katarzyna, Ptaszkowski, Kuba, Kuszewski, Michał Tomasz, Sopel, Mirosław, Dymarek, Robert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01.01.2019; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Adult; Analgesia; Analysis; Arthritis; Back pain; Bone marrow; Clinical trials; Disabilities; eswt; Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy - methods; Female; functional state; Gene expression; Health sciences; Humans; Lithotripsy; low back pain; Low Back Pain - therapy; Male; Middle Aged; Nervous system; Neurological disorders; Older people; Original Research; Pain Management; Pain Measurement - methods; Physical therapy; Pilot Projects; Propagation; Prospective Studies; Shock waves; Single-Blind Method; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasonic imaging; Poland; physical therapy; ESWT; functional state; low back pain; shock waves
• ISSN: 1178-1998; 1176-9092; 1178-1998
• DOI: 10.2147/CIA.S224001

This prospective, randomized and single-blinded study assesses the influence of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) in patients with low back pain (LBP). A total of 52 patients with LBP were enrolled in the study, out of which a homogeneous group of 40 patients with mean age of 53.45±4.9 years was included. Patients were randomized into group A (n=20) treated with rESWT (2000 pulses; 2.5 bars; 5 Hz, 7 mins) performed twice a week for five weeks (10 sessions) and stabilization training, as well as group B (n=20) treated with sham rESWT and stabilization training. To analyze the therapeutic progress, the following tests were performed (before and after therapy; 1 and 3 months follow-up) to assess pain and functional efficiency: (1) Visual Analog Scale (VAS), (2) Laitinen Pain Scale (LPS), and (3) Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The control group had a statistically significant advantage over the rESWT group (4.4 vs. 3.1 points on the VAS; p=0.039). However, in long-term observations, group A gradually experienced more pain relief than group B (2.7 vs. 3.5 points, p>0.05, at one month and 2.0 vs. 4.4 points at three months after treatment; p<0.0001). Similar findings can be seen in the analysis of changes in pain sensations measured with the LPS. The functional state (ODI) was better in rESWT group, especially in follow-up observation (9.3 vs. 14.6 points, p=0.033, at one month and 9.3 vs. 17.8 points, p=0.004, at three months after treatment). The rESWT combined with stabilization training is particularly effective in the long-term and achieves a stable beneficial effect for patients with LBP. The use of rESWT has a significant long-term influence on the reduction of pain and the improvement of the general functional state in relation to the conventional motor improvement program.