• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.145-154
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• 2009

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristic of ryodoraku in the chronic low back pain patients who visited department of oriental rehabilitation medicine. Methods : Subjects were 32 patients who visited department of oriental rehabilitation medicine(<60 years old). The low back pain patients were measured points of twelve meridians by ryodoraku diagnosis and checked the duration of low back pain. We compared the mean ryodoraku and the percentage of each points beyond the physiological range. Results : The score of H1(LU9), H2(PC7), H3(HT7), H5(TE4) and F5(GB40) had statistical differences compared with mean ryodoraku. And the correlation between duration of pain and mean ryodoraku showed statistically significant negative correlation(r=-0.353). Conclusions : These results suggest that ryodoraku maybe used to evaluate chronic low back pain patients.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was performed to evaluate the effects of thoracolumbar junction's Hyeopcheok points(夾脊穴) for low-back pain in the thoracolumbar junction syndrome. Method : 1. Measurement : We investigated 26 patients with low-back pain. The unpleasantness of pain was measured by visual analogue scale(VAS), and the Oswestry low-back pain disability index(ODI). We compared the VAS and ODI scores of the two groups statistically. 2. Intervention : Use Acupuncture and bee venom injection in thoracolumbar junction's Hyeopcheok points that display main tender points. Also, herb medication and physical therapy was used. Results and Conclusion : As a result of treatment, thoracolumbar junction's Hyeopcheok points is very effective for low-back pain. However, more cases are required to oriental medicine in order to prove the availability.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.843-853
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to determine whether extension exercise is effective in reducing low back pain. Nine patients with low back pain were randomly assigened to one of two groups-one was an experimental group in which the patient were treated with extension exercise(McKenzie method) and conservative therapy. The other was a control group in which the patients were treated with conservative therapy only. Treatment was performed for a period of ten days during Which we examed each patient three times: the first exam was done at the begining of treatment, the second after fives days, and the third after ten days. We used 'The Oswestry low back pain disability questionnaire'(r=.99) as the examination tool. The results were as follows: 1. Both experimental and control groups showed nonsignificant differences before and after treatment, and the between group difference was also non-significant(P>.05). 2. There was no effective reduction of low back pain by MecKenzie's extension exercise(p>.05). We admit that our study protocol had several shortcomings. If they had been accounted for, the result might have been different. Further study should be done with a better experimental design, a larger sample, and a longer experimental duration.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2010

Purpose : To evaluate effects of joint mobilization on the range of motion of chronic low back pain patients. Methods : The subjects were consisted of sixty patients who had non specific chronic low back pain(10 females. 10 males; mean aged 36.5). All subjects received modalities treatment with therapeutic massage for 10minutes and joint mobilization or manipulation for 10minutes per day and three times a week during 4 weeks period. The Multilevel Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire(MR-MDQ) was used to measure functional disability level. Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) was used to measure subjective pain level. Remodified Schober test(RST) was used to measure forward flexion range of motion of lumbar segment. Finger-to-Floor test(F-T-FT) was used to measure forward flexion range of motion of full spine of low back pain patients. All measurements of each patients were measured at pre-treatment and 4 week post-treatment. Results : The MR-MDQ, VAS, RCT and F-T-FT were significantly different within-subjects(p<.05), Conclusion : The manual therapy included therapeutic massage and joint mobilization found that improved chronic low back pain patients. Further studies are needed to including more subjects on long-term outcomes.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.75-82
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• 2022

Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine the effect of auricular acupressure on low back pain and headaches in nurses. Methods: A open-label randomized controlled trial was used. Thirty-nine nurses with low back pain for more than 3 months participated in this study. Auricular acupressure stickers were applied to the participants's waist, head and Shen men in the experimental group for 2 weeks. The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) were administered to measure participants' pain. Results: The mean differences of the VAS and the HIT-6 were significant in the experimental group at the pre and post-tests. A repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that low back pain and headache measured using NRS in the experimental group decreased significantly compared to the control group at the pre and post-tests over 2 weeks. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that auricular acupressure could be used as a useful intervention for self-care for nurses with low back pain and headache.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.268-277
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• 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Pilates breathing exercises on functional disability and lumbar flexibility in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: 30 patients with non-specific low back pain were selected and classified into an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). Both groups were assessed for functional disability using the Oswestry Disability Index and flexibility of the lumbar spine using the modified-modified Schober test before and after the intervention. The intervention was applied twice a week for four weeks. The experimental group performed Pilates breathing exercises followed by spinal stabilization exercises, while the control group only performed spinal stabilization exercises. Results: Both groups showed significant improvements in functional disability and lumbar flexibility after the intervention. However, when comparing between the two groups, the experimental group showed a more significant effect than the control group. Conclusions: The combination of Pilates breathing exercises and spinal stabilization exercises can be considered an effective approach to improve low back pain and prevent chronic pain in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.81-87
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• 2012

The structural and biomechanical characteristics of pelvic and foot are important factors of back pain, but it is still complicated to clearly explain the relationship among them. The purpose of this study was to find out the characteristic of pelvic parameters and biomechanics of foot in patients with low back pain. Thirty-three female subjects with chronic low back pain were enrolled and ODI and VAS score were measured for back pain index. All subjects were taken the X-ray examination for major pelvic parameters and foot scan analysis for foot pressure, gait angle, fore-foot/rear-foot peak pressure ratio and asymmetric index. Statistical analysis were performed to examine the inter-relation between the measurement. As a result, it was shown the positive interrelation between back pain and F/R ratio, but others were not shown the relationship related to low back pain. And there were correlations between the lumbo-pelvic structure and biomechanics of foot in some aspects, but the causal relationship between them are still indefinable. In order to get more information about structures and biomechanics related to low back pain, subsequent researches are needed.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.225-234
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• 2021

Objective: We aimed to identify the effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching on pain, hip range of motion, and functional disability in patients with chronic low back pain. Design: Randomized controlled trial Methods: In total, 45 patients with chronic low back pain were randomly divided into a conventional stretching group (n=22) and a PNF stretching group (n=23). Both interventions were performed three times per week for 6 weeks. Assessments were made using the visual analog scale, Flexion-Abduction-External Rotation test, modified Thomas test, prone hip extension test, and Oswestry disability index before and after the 6-week intervention period. We conducted a paired t-test to compare the within-group findings before and after the intervention. An independent t-test was used to compare the between-group differences. The statistical significance level was set at α=0.05, for all variables. Results: Both groups showed significant improvements in pain, hip range of motion, and functional disability after the intervention (p<0.05). A significant difference was observed in pain, hip range of motion, and functional disability in patients belonging to the PNF stretching group (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the application of PNF stretching can effectively reduce pain and improve hip range of motion and functional disability in patients with chronic low back pain.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.217-228
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• 2021

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in chronic low back pain and neuropathic pain. Methods: Seventy-four patients aged 18-65 with chronic low back pain were included in the study. Baseline measurements were performed, and patients were randomized into three groups. The first group received burst TENS (bTENS), the second group conventional TENS (cTENS), and the third group placebo TENS (pTENS), all over 15 sessions. Patients' visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were evaluated before treatment (preT), immediately after treatment (postT), and in the third month after treatment (postT3). Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questions (DN4), the Modified Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (MOS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and sympathetic skin response (SSR) values were also evaluated preT and postT3. Results: A statistically significant improvement was observed in mean VAS scores postT compared to preT in all three groups. Intergroup comparison revealed a significant difference between preT and postT values, that difference being assessed in favor of bTENS at multiple comparison analysis. Although significant improvement was determined in neuropathic pain DN4 scores measured at postT3 compared to preT in all groups, there was no significant difference between the groups. No statistically significant difference was also observed between the groups in terms of MOS, BDI, or SSR values at postT3 (P > 0.05). Conclusions: bTENS therapy in patients with low back pain is an effective and safe method that can be employed in short-term pain control.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.91-105
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• 1989

The purpose of this study is to identify the body images of patints with low back pain and their status on adjustment of daily living. The data were collected from 11 general hospitals during Feburary 2, 1987 through May 30,1987. One hundred and ninety five subjects having physical therapy treatment because of low back pain were analyzed. For measurement of body image, 11 pairs of adjectives were used on semantic differential scale, and for measurement of adjustment of daily living, 10 items were used on a likert type scale. Results of the study are summerised as follows. 1. The average patient age were 34yeats and 62% of the patients were men. High school grade completed were 43.1% and Cause of Low Back Pain were respctively;Unknown etiology 31.8%, lifting heavy objects 27.7%, Traffic accident and injury 17.9%. Types of treatment were;medication plus physical therapy 54.9%, physical therapy only 22.6%. Average treatment duration were 24.5 months. 2. There were significant difference in the body image between before low back pain and after low back pain. The body image before low back pain were 59.89(Mean) but after low back pain were 37,24(Mean) and two groups were statistically significant (t=21.3, p<0.00l). 3. there were no significant difference in the body image between the male and female.(t=1.49, p＞0.05) 4. The correlation between body image and adjustment of daily living. in both sexes showed positive correlation coefficient; male(r=0.4648, p<0.00l) female(r=0.4516, p<0.00l) respectively. It means that patients with positive body image can adjust well in daily living. 5. The relation between the body image and general variables revealed sigificant difference with occupation and age.(F=2.12 p<0.05, F=3.48 p<0.05). That is different occupation and different age groups can show different body image. In conculsion with the above results, It is my strong belief that multidisciplinary approach including the concept of body image and patient education about postural care, activities of daily living, lifting mechanics should be applied in treating and dealing with those patients.