THE EFFECTS OF MEDIUM FREQUENCY CURRENT UPON LUMBAR PAIN

• Published in: Ovidius University Annals, Series Physical Education and Sport/Science, Movement and Health Vol. 21; no. 1; p. 86
• Main Authors: Mihai, Tirchila, Daniela, Calota Nicoleta, Victoria, Gidu Diana, Antoanela, Oltean
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ovidius University of Constanta 01.01.2021
• Subjects: Analysis; Backache; Health aspects
• ISSN: 2285-777X

Aim: The study started of the idea of proving once more the effects of electrotherapy in general and of the medium frequncy currents in particular, upon low back pain amelioration. Methods: The research was conducted at the Balneal and Recovery Sanatorium Techirghiol in 2019 and 14 subjects were included, diagnosed with low back pain of various causes: lumbar discopathy, lumbar spondylosis, myofascial syndrom, spondylitis ankylopoetica. All of them attended 10 sessions of electrotherapy, various procedures, for two weeks and were evaluated initially and finally with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Results: The distribution of the VAS score media values by pathology are as follows: the highest media is at the lumbar discopathy subgroup (7,86), the lowest at the lumbar spondylosis subgroup (6,5). The most favorable evolution had the spondylitis ankylopoetica subgroup, from value 7 to 0 (absence of pain), but it is not semnificative due to the small number of subjects (1). Per pathology groups and percentage, the pain intensity decrease was minus 80% for lumbar discopathy group, 69% for lumbar spondylosis and 93% for myofascial syndrom group. The analyse of the pain intensity decrease by fixed frequency prescribed highlights the higher analgesic quality of the higher frequencies, as follows: for the 35 Hz frequency, the VAS score was minus 71,87%; for the 50 Hz frequency - minus 76,96%; for the 80 Hz frequency - minus 79,95%. Conclusions: The tetra polar application decreased the VAS score with 80% and the bipolar application with 82%. As the study demonstrated, the differential action of the constant and variable frequencies has to have as curative objectives three main factors: the pain threshold increasing, the stimulating effect and the vegetative nervous system influence Key-words: low back pain, electrotherapy, medium frequency current.