Efficacy of Muscle Energy Techniques in the Treatment of Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain

Efficacy of Conventional Physical Therapy With and Without Muscle Energy Techniques in the Treatment of Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain

Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain is characterized as a tension, soreness and stiffness. Various studies, defined MET as a manual medicine treatment procedure that involves the voluntary contraction of the subject's muscle in a precisely controlled direction, at varying levels of intensity, against a distinctly executed counterforce applied by the therapist.

Chronic Non-specific LBP is located in region below lower costal margins and above inferior gluteal margins with or without any referred pain in legs, an essentially non-attributable to any specific cause. It may lasting for more than 7-12 months and affect individual over a long period of time once in a lifetime at least. METs is useful in increasing extensibility and range of motion of various joints and provides good results in the patients with back pain. These techniques are used as the treatment of weakened muscles, restricted joints, reducing pain reliving muscle tension & spasm, & increased strength of the muscle. MET is a verstile, safe, gentle technique traditionally used to address muscular strain, PAIN, local edema and joint dysfunction. It was reported that post isometric relaxation is considered a highly effective therapy for back dysfunction patients.

Muscle Energy Technique, Physical Therapy, Pain, Functional Disability, Fear Avoidance Beliefs, Quality of Life, Range of Motion

Patients in this group will receive Conventional Physical therapy only, which includes hot pack, TENS, Ultrasonic, stretching and strengthening exercises.

In this group, Post Isometric Relaxation of the Muscle Energy Techniques will be applied to the Spinal Stabilizers and Mechanoreceptors in addition to Conventional Physical Therapy.

Post-Isometric Relaxation of the Muscle Energy Techniques will be applied to Spinal Stabilizers and Mechanoreceptors. Hold time will be 7 seconds with 5 seconds rest between two performance x 3 times /session. Whereas, Conventional Physical Therapy consists of hot pack, TENS, Ultrasonic along with stretching and exercises of back musculature.

Conventional Physical Therapy consists of hot pack, TENS, Ultrasonic along with stretching and exercises of back musculature.

Pain intensity will be measured using Visual Analogue Scale. It consists of a 10cm line, with two end points, 0 representing no pain and 10 representing pain as bad as it could be possible.

Pain intensity will be measured at the baseline at the time of recruitment, and change in pain intensity will be measured at 2nd week and 3rd week of intervention.

Lumbar Ranges of Motion will be measured using inclinometer. The normal amount of lumbar flexion range of motion is 60 degrees, and the normal range of motion of lumbar extension is 25 degrees. The lumbar spine also normally moves 25 degrees in lateral flexion, or side bending.

Lumbar Range of Motion will be measured at baseline at the time of recruitment and change in range of motion will be measured at 2nd week and 3rd week of treatment.

Oswestry Disability Index was used to determine the functional status of individual. The final score ranges from 0-100. A score of 0-20 reflects minimal disability, 21-40 moderate disability, 41-60 severe disability, 61-80 crippled, and 81-100 bed-bound.

Level of Functional Disability will be recorded as baseline at the time of recruitment and change in functional status will be observed at the 2nd week and 3rd week of intervention.

Fear Avoidance Beliefs will be observed using Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire. There is a maximum score of 96. A higher score indicates more strongly held fear avoidance beliefs.

Fear Avoidance Beliefs will be observed as baseline at the time of recruitment and any change in Fear Avoidance Beliefs will be observed at the 2nd week and 3rd week of treatment.

Short Form-36 Health Survey Questionnaire was used to measure change in Quality of Life. The SF-36 measures eight scales: physical functioning (PF), role physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF), role emotional (RE), and mental health (MH). Total score of this questionnaire is 100, with lower the score the more disability, the higher the score the less disability.

Change in quality of life will be measured at baseline at the time of recruitment and change in quality of life will be measured at the 2nd week and 3rd week of intervention.

Inclusion Criteria: Age: 18 - 45 years Gender : both genders Low Back Pain of more than 3 months duration ODI Score between 20-80% BMI: 25-29 Kg/m2 VAS: Initial Pain Score > 3 Pain Localized to Lower Lumbar Region Decreased Lumbar ROM Exclusion Criteria: Red Flag Signs of Low Back Pain (Metabolic Bone Disease, Malignancy, Cardiovascular Disorder, Pregnancy) Patient with Paraesthesia or Numbness Disturbed Reflexes (Hypo/Hyper Reflexia) Motor Weakness H/O Low Back Surgery H/O Recent Trauma < 2 Months H/O Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoporosis and Fracture Joint hyper mobility. Psychological Mental Disorders