Efficiency of Muscle Energy Techniques
Condition: Mechanical Low Back Pain
MeSH terms: Back Pain; Low Back Pain
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the efficiency of the Muscle Energy
      Technique in female patients with mechanical low back pain.

      Methods: A total of 40 female participants aged 30-45 were randomly divided into two groups
      (Study Group and Control Group). Control group participants were under 10 sessions
      conventional physical therapy and rehabilitation (TENS, US, hot pack) and performed standard
      home exercises. Study Group participants were under 8 sessions muscle energy technique in
      addition to conventional physical therapy and standard home exercises. Pain (Visual Analog
      Scale-VAS), spinal mobility (Modify Schober Test-MST), flexibility (Fingertip Floor
      Distance-FFD, Right and Left Lateral Flexion Floor Distance-LFFD), quality of life
      (Nottingham Health Profile-NHP), disability (Oswestry Disability Index-ODI), kinesiofobia
      (Tampa Kinesiofobia Scale-TKS) and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-BDI) were
      measured at baseline, after the treatment and 3th months.
    

Detailed description: 
      There are many epidemiological and statistical studies showing the high incidence and
      prevalence of low back pain, which is a common problem all over the world (Manga et al 1993).
      Mechanical causes constitute 90% of the factors that cause low back pain (Diamond and
      Borenstein 2006).

      Mechanical Low Back Pain (MLBP) is musculoskeletal pain of soft tissue origin that can be
      seen in the posterior lumbal region, sacral region or paraspinal region. MLBP, which is
      characterized by tendonitis, trigger points and muscle spasms, increases with movement and
      decreases with rest.

      Muscle Energy Technique (MET) is a manual therapeutic procedure that creates voluntary
      contractions in skeletal muscles by creating force against the practitioner by the patient.
      MET is used to lengthen shortened muscles, mobilize restricted joints, and strengthen
      physiologically weakened muscles (Chaitow 2013).

      Treatment methods generally applied to patients diagnosed with MLBP; physical therapy
      modalities, manual techniques, exercise therapy, medical therapy, psychological therapy and
      patient education. It is recommended that MET be used to reduce pain when administered to the
      spine (Wilson 2003) or muscles (Ballantyne et al. 2003).

      The aim of our study is to investigate the efficiency of Muscle Energy Technique on spinal
      mobility, flexibility, pain, disability, fear avoidance behavior, quality of life and
      depressive symptoms in female patients with mechanical low back pain.
    

Intervention name(s): Muscle Energy Technique; conventional physical therapy and rehabilitation
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): The Janda method (Post isometric relaxation PIR Technique), one of the Muscle Energy Techniques, was used on m.piriformis, m.quadratus lumborum, m.hamstring, m.psoas major muscles in the study group. First, the dysfunctional muscle was stretched passively by the physiotherapist up to the movement barrier, and 5-7 seconds of isometric muscle contraction in the opposite direction was requested from the patient at the barrier. This practice was continued until muscle tension or joint dysfunction disappeared.
All participants performed standard home exercises consisting of stretching and strengthening. These exercises were taught to the participants by the physiotherapist in the first treatment session, and when they came to each treatment session, it was questioned whether they did it or not, and a control chart was created for exercise follow-up.; In the content of conventional physiotherapy program for both groups; Hot Pack (20 min), Ultrasound (ITO brand 1 MHz and 1.5 W/cm2, 5 min), Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS, 50-100 Hz, 20 min) and standard home exercises were included. The program went 5 times a week, 10 consecutive sessions. Each session lasted an average of 45 minutes.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Efficiency; Mechanical Low Back Pain; Muscle Energy Techniques