Short-term Effects of Exercise Program Versus Electropuncture in Patients With Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study evaluate the effectiveness that exists when performing a treatment based on a table of exercises for strengthening the lumbar muscles versus a treatment based on electropuncture in patients with chronic low back pain.

Detailed Description
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Low back pain has a high prevalence in all European countries, appearing as the main cause of activity limitation in people under 45 years of age. It has got a high recurrence, which decreases the activities of daily life, facilitates the focus of attention to pain and increases the fear of movement, with the consequent muscular atrophy. A serie cases will be conducted comparing a a table of exercises versus electropuncture. Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness that exists when performing a tratment based on a table of exercises for strengthening the lumbar muscles versus a treatment based on electropuncture. Methods: A sample of 12 subjects with chronic low back pain will be assigned to an exercise program or dry electropuncture treatment (EPS), during 4 weeks (2 sessions/week). The measurement variables selected for the study were the followings: Straight Leg Raise, Vasalva, Gaesslen test, algometry (pressure pain threshold), goniometry (measurement of the range of motion), Scale of disability for low back pain of Oswestry, Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), Visual Analogue Scale (EVA), Mcquade's Test and the Roland-Morrys' Questionnaire, developing a pre-treatment and post-treatment assessment.

Official Title
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Short-term Effects of Exercise Program Versus Electropuncture on Pain, Depression, Range of Motion and Disability, in Patients With Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Conditions
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Low Back Pain, Exercise Program, Electroacupuncture

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Percutaneous electrostimulation treatment (EPS)
* Other: Exercise program


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Chronic non-specific low back pain persisting ≥ 3 months. Age between 25 and 60 years. Not currently receiving physical therapy. Exclusion Criteria: Presence of lumbar stenosis. Presence of clinical signs of radiculopathy. Diagnosis of spondylolisthesis. Diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Treatment with corticosteroid or pharmachological medication within the paset 2 weeks. A history of spinal surgery. Central or peripheral nervous system disease

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 25 Years
Maximum Age: 60 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Exercise program<br>It will be consist in a program of lumbo-pelvic stabilization exercises and strengthening of the core: awareness of breathing, front and side plate abdominal, glute bridge/hip elevations, lift extended leg, pelvic tilt, hamstring stretch, strengthening lower abdominals, cat-camel posture, trunk rotations with flexed knees, rolling in sitting and lumbar extension with hip extensión in prone | Other: Percutaneous electrostimulation treatment (EPS)<br>* Apply dry needles in a tight band of some of the muscles that most affect the appearance of low back pain, such as: paravertebral, lumbar quadrate, gluteus medius and pyramidal, and administer analgesic microcurrents.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Percutaneous electrostimulation treatment (EPS)<br>Apply dry needles in a tight band of some of the muscles that most affect the appearance of low back pain, such as: paravertebral, lumbar quadrate, gluteus medius and pyramidal, and administer analgesic microcurrents. | Other: Exercise program<br>* It will be consist in a program of lumbo-pelvic stabilization exercises and strengthening of CORE.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Algometry | An instrument for measuring the degree of sensitivity to pain. | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Goniometry | Measurement of the range of motion | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | 
| Beck's Depression Inventory | The state of depression will be determined with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), a self-applied 21-item questionnaire that assesses a wide spectrum of depressive symptoms. It focuses on the cognitive components of depression, which represent around 50% of the total questionnaire score. | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | 
| Visual Analog Scale | Pain will be assessed with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), which assesses the pain intensity and degree of relief experienced by the patient (scored of 0 = no pain; 10 = unbearable pain). | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | 
| Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index. | It has 10 items associated to activities of daily living, each item has a puntuation fron 0 to 5 points | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | 
| Roland-Morrys' Questionnaire | This is a self-reported questionnaire consisting in 24 items reflecting limitations in different activities of daily living attributed to low back pain including walking, vending over, sitting, lying down, dressing, sleeping, self-care and daily activities | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | 
| Mcquade Test | It measures the isometric endurance of trunk flexion muscles | At baseline and immediate post-treatment | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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chronic low back pain, physical therapy, randomized clinical trial, exercise program