Clinical trial NCT04859842: Comparison of Two Electrotherapy Methods on Chronic Low Back Pain
Official title: Comparison of Effectiveness of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy and Interferential Current on Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Low Back Pain, Mechanical
Keywords: Rehabilitation
Electric Stimulation Therapy
Quality of Life
Pain
Lead sponsor: Abant Izzet Baysal University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2021-04-26
Enrollment: 102
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 80
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Three groups with a conventional therapy control group.
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The purpose of this study is; to compare the effects of interferential current therapy (IF) applied in addition to conventional physical therapy on pain, functional status and quality of life compared to pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) in patients with chronic low back pain.

Detailed description: The low back is the most common region for musculoskeletal pain. Many factors play a role in the etiology of low back pain. A certain etiological factor or pathophysiological mechanism cannot be found in 85-90% of the patients.

Approximately 80% of those living in industrialized countries experience low back pain in some part of their lives. 10% of low back pain becomes chronic. It is believed that 1% of workforce losses are due to low back pain. This type of pain often occurs when the back muscles, tendons and ligaments are exposed to stress or strain. Mechanical back pains are chronic pain that often affects the lower part of the spine and radiates to the gluteal region. Since daily activities such as leaning, turning, lifting, standing and sitting for a long time increase the pain, the intensity of the pain increases during the day.

Interferential current (IF) therapy is obtained from two medium frequency currents and is applied by delivering a low frequency current (for example 20 to 100 Hz) to the tissue.

Pulsed ElectroMagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy, which is among physical therapy methods, is frequently used in the treatment of knee, hip and spine osteoarthritis symptoms. It is thought that magnetic field therapy improves the oxygen utilization of the cells and the erythrocytes release more oxygen under the influence of the magnetic field, thus having a positive effect on the circulatory system

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Being diagnosed with nonspecific low back pain
* Symptom onset with more than 3 months

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of surgery on low back region
* Structural deformity on the low back region
* Radiculopathy
* Tumor or malignancy
* Any skin condition that prevents usage of electrotherapy
* Having a pace maker or other types of implants on the low back, pelvis and thoracic region

Primary outcomes:
measure: The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)
timeFrame: two weeks
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire
timeFrame: two weeks
measure: Euroqol Quality Of Life Scale
timeFrame: two weeks
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Bolu
country: Turkey
facility: Faculty of Health Sciences Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University
state: Merkez
Study officials:
affiliation: Bolu Abant Izzet Baylsa University
name: Mustafa Fatih Yaşar, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Bolu Abant Izzet Baylsa University
name: Ramazan KURUL, Ph.D
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: