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Can electrotherapy improve the effect of kinesio-functional exercises in the treatment of chronic non-specific low back pain?

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to compare the effect of a Kinesio-functional exercise protocol (KFE) isolated or associated with Interferential Current (IC) or Aussie Current (AC) on pain intensity, mobility/flexibility, functionality, and quality of life (QoL) of individuals with chronic non-specific low back pain. This is a non-randomized clinical trial, in which 42 individuals were randomly divided into three groups: GI (KFE; n=14), GII (KFE+IC; n=14) and GIII (KFE+AC, n=14). The individuals underwent 10 treatment sessions (five weeks). The individuals were evaluated before and after the intervention, using the Pain visual analog scale (VAS); the assessment of QoL was conducted using the SF-36 questionnaire; the assessment of lumbar mobility/flexibility, by the modified Schober test and the Wells Bank; the assessment of functional disability, using the Oswestry Index; and for depressive aspects, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used. In the reassessment, we observed a significant improvement in all experimental groups regarding pain intensity (p <0.0001) and mobility/flexibility. In SF-36, we found that only individuals treated with exercises associated with electrical current improved their physical capacity, physical aspects, and pain domains. The BDI assessment did not show any changes before or after the intervention. We conclude that the association of therapeutic techniques showed greater benefit to the individuals in the sample since it improved the evaluated variables, such as pain, mobility/flexibility, and quality of life.

Keywords:
Physical Therapy Specialty; Electric Stimulation; Exercise Therapy; Low Back Pain

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