ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of pilates method on patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (LBP). METHOD: A randomized controlled trial was carried out in sixty patients with a diagnosis of chronic non-specific LBP. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Experimental Group (EG) that maintained medication treatment with use of NSAID and underwent treatment with the pilates method and Control Group (CG) that continue medication treatment with use of NSAID and did not undergo any other intervention. A blinded assessor performed all evaluations at baseline (T0), after 45, 90, and 180 days (T45, T90 and T180) for: pain (VAS), function (Roland Morris questionnaire), quality of life (SF-36), satisfaction with treatment (Likert scale), flexibility (sit and reach test) and NSAID intake. RESULTS: The groups were homogeneous at baseline. Statistical differences favoring the EG were found with regard to pain (P < 0.001), function (P < 0.001) and the quality of life domains of functional capacity (P < 0.046), pain (P < 0.010) and vitality (P < 0.029). Statistical differences were also found between groups regarding the use of pain medication at T45, T90 and T180 (P < 0.010), with the EG taking fewer NSAIDs than the CG. CONCLUSIONS: The pilates method can be used by patients with LBP to improve pain, function and aspects related to quality of life (functional capacity, pain and vitality). Moreover, this method has no harmful effects on such patients.
Subject(s)
Activities of Daily Living , Diclofenac/administration & dosage , Exercise Movement Techniques/methods , Low Back Pain/therapy , Quality of Life , Analysis of Variance , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/administration & dosage , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use , Attitude of Health Personnel , Diclofenac/therapeutic use , Female , Humans , Low Back Pain/drug therapy , Male , Middle Aged , Pain Measurement/methods , Pain Measurement/statistics & numerical data , Patient Satisfaction/statistics & numerical data , Single-Blind Method , Statistics, NonparametricABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Yamamoto's acupuncture method on pain, drug intake, functional capacity and quality of life for the treatment of acute non-specific low back pain (ANLBP). METHODS: A prospective, randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed in 80 men and women with ANLBP who were randomly assigned to five acupuncture sessions (intervention group (IG), n=40) and to five non-penetrating acupuncture sessions (sham group (SG), n=40). Patients were evaluated at baseline and at 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. The measurements used were: visual analogue scale (VAS) for cumulative pain (before intervention, VAS1) and immediate pain (after intervention, VAS2); function (Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RM)); quality of life (SF-36); improvement rating; and number of anti-inflammatory tablets taken. The primary endpoint was a decrease of at least 2 cm in VAS1. RESULTS: Pain VAS improved significantly in the IG from day 14 onwards compared with the SG, but the difference did not reach the prespecified clinically relevant value of 2 cm. The IG was significantly superior to the SG in the following outcomes: cumulative pain, function, pain (SF-36) and vitality (SF-36) at days 14, 21 and 28 (p<0.05); limitation in physical aspects (SF-36) at all times (p=0.007 and p=0.02); and functional capacity (SF-36) at days 21 and 28 (p<0.05). The IG also took significantly fewer anti-inflammatory tablets than the SG (p=0.004) at all evaluation times and the improvement rating was better than the SG (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Yamamoto's new scalp acupuncture was more effective than sham treatment with regard to decrease in pain and anti-inflammatory intake as well as improving functional status and quality of life for patients with ANLBP. CLINICALTRIALSGOV: NCT 01124955.