RESUMO
Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of manual therapy on pain, kinesiophobia, pain catastrophizing, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Methods: The study included 32 LDH patients. Patients were divided into the Manual therapy group (MTG-age 39.81 ± 9.45 years) and the Exercise group (EG-age 38.31 ± 9.21 years) by sealed envelope randomization. Patients were evaluated pre-study, post-study, and after a 3-month period using the McGill-Melzack Pain Questionnaire (MMPQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale (TKS), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and Nottingham Health Profile (NSP). The exercise group received a total of ten sessions of stabilization exercises and sham spinal mobilization in five weeks, two sessions per week. In addition to the stabilization exercises, mobilization applications including Anterior-Posterior Lumbar Spinal Mobilization, Lumbar Spinal Rotational Mobilization, and Joint Mobilization in Lumbar Flexion Position, were applied to the manual therapy group. Results: It was found that the HADS and TKS values decreased in the MTG group compared to the pre-treatment period (p < 0.05), while there was no difference between these values in the EG group (p > 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the MMPQ, PCS, and NHP values after treatment in both the MTG and EG groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions: It was found that manual therapy had positive effects on psychological factors such as pain, kinesiophobia, pain catastrophizing, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in patients with LDH. Trial registration: NCT05804357 (27 March 2023) (retrospectively registered).