• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.64-68
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• 2021

Objective: In clinical practice, there are a lot of exercise to reduce body weight or reduce the amount of body fat in order to solve back pain. However, many studies have contradicted the relationship between back pain and weight or body fat mass. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between fat mass, body mass index and low back pain of office worker. Design: Crossed-sectional study Methods: Among the white-collar workers diagnosed with non-specific back pain by doctors, subjects who were not included in the exclusion criteria were selected to measure the subject's body fat mass, body mass index, pain intensity, and disability index due to back pain. The NPRS was used for the intensity of back pain of office workers, and the ODI was used for the degree of disability due to back pain. A body composition analyzer was used to measure the body fat mass and body mass index of white-collar workers. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in the comparison between the normal group and the excessive group according to the criteria of fat mass and body mass index. In the correlation analysis of fat mass, body mass index, pain intensity, and disability index, it was found that there was a significant correlation between fat mass and body mass index. However, neither fat mass nor body mass index had a significant correlation with pain intensity and disability index. Conclusions: The fat mass and body mass index of office worker do not affect low back pain.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.85-95
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• 2021

Low-level laser therapy including laser acupuncture has been widely used for non-specific chronic low back pain in primary Korean medical clinics. However, there is no critically appraised data regarding which treatment conditions are most effective. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine effective treatment conditions using 12 databases (PubMed, Ovid, CENTRAL, KoreaMed, KMBASE, KISS, NDSL, KISTI, OASIS, CNKI, CiNII, and J-STAGE). There were 1,019 studies retrieved and 13 studies included in this review. It was determined that when the power output was ≥ 50 mW, the beam size was increased to ≥ cm², the energy dose was increased to ≥ 4 J per point, the treatment interval was increased to ≥ 3 times a week, and the number of treatment sessions was increased to ≥ 10 treatments, these conditions appeared to increased treatment effectiveness.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-2
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• 2010

Chronic non-specific low back pain (CLBP) is one of the major health problems casting substantial amount of economic expenses and negative impact on quality of life onto an individual as well as society. On contrary to public familiarity, the ways of management of CLBP are diverse and there is yet no general consensus about which approach is better than others or to whom the specific management should be applied. Some hold the negative point of view on the efficacy of the invasive maneuver such as epidural injection because there is no controlled clinical trial (RCT) yielding better long term outcome of those invasive managements over conservative ones. But the experts of interventional or surgical treatment stress the methodological difficulty in performing RCT and assert that those invasive treatments can bring the prompt and complete resolution of low back pain and restoration of function in appropriately selected cases. These seemingly opposite views on the invasive management on CLBP are rather complimentary each other than to be contradictory.

• 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.

• The Journal of Korea CHUNA Manual Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.55-65
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• 2000

The present study retrospectively investigated clinical outcome at patients with low back pain or sciatica during Chuna treatment (flexion-distraction technique). The study population consisted of 29 patients. Discogenic group consisted of 21 patients who were already diagnosed as HNP of lumbar spine with serial MRIs(magnetic resonance imaging) or CTs(computerized tomography). Simple LBP group consisted of 8 patients with low back pain & sciatica who were non-specific disorder on radiologic examination. All patients were treated with flexion-distraction technique, one of Chuna technique, under analysis of Moire Topography. And the evaluation of clinical outcome was done twice during this study by Moire Topography Analytic Point and Low Back Pain Assesment, Visual Analogue Scale. The results were summarized as follows; Total improvement rate of Moire Topography was $25.8{\pm}17.8%$, and the rate of Low Back Pain Assesment was $56.5{\pm}23.0%$, Visual Analogue Scale of post-treatment was $32.6{\pm}22.5$ Between Improvement rate of Moire Topography and improvement rate of Low Back Pain Assesment, significant correlation was proved(Person's coefficient was 0.381, p<0.05). After all, it is certain improvement of Moire Topography represents symptom's improvement.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.175-186
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• 2019

Objective: Non-specific chronic low back pain (NS-CLBP) has been related to abnormal trunk muscle activations, but literature reported considerable variability in muscle amplitudes of NS-CLBP patients during prolonged sitting periods. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the differences among homogenous NS-CLBP subgroups in muscle activity, using muscle co-contraction indices as a more objective approach, and their roles on pain development during a 1-hour period of prolonged sitting. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty NS-CLBP subjects with motor control impairment (MCI) [10 classified as having flexion pattern disorder, and 10 with active extension pattern disorder], and 10 healthy controls participated in the study. Subjects followed a 1-hour sitting protocol on a standard office chair. Four trunk muscle activities including amplitudes and co-contraction indices were recorded using electromyography over the 1-hour period. Perceived back pain intensity was recorded using a numeric pain rating scale every 10 minutes throughout the sitting period. Results: All study groups presented with no significantly distinctive trunk muscle activities at the beginning of sitting, nor did they change over time when pain increased to a significant level. Both MCI subgroups reported a similarly significant increase in pain behavior through mid-sitting (p<0.001). However, after mid-sitting, they significantly differed from each other in pain (p<0.01) but did not differ in the levels of muscle activation. Conclusions: This study was the first to highlight the similarities in trunk muscle activities among homogenous NS-CLBP patients related to MCI and compared them to healthy controls while sitting for an extended period of time, and the significant increase in pain over the 1-hour sitting might not be attributed to trunk muscle activation.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.35-49
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• 2014

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to find the effects of the lumbar stabilization exercise and strength exercise on pain, ROM, strength, muscle thickness of low back pain(LBP) patients. Method : The subjects were consisted of twelve patients who had nonspecific LBP. All subjects randomly assigned to lumbar stabilization exercise group(N=6) and strength exercise group(N=6). We measured muscular strength, ROM by using Tergumed-extension, rotation and muscle thickness by using ultrasonography and pain score by using Visual analog scale(VAS). The lumbar stabilization exercise group received TOGU exercise, strength exercise group received Tergumed exercise. The data analyzed by repeated measure of Independent t-test, paired t-test, reliability test. Result : The results were as follows. The result which measured of the change of pain score was a significant decrease. The result which measured of the change of ROM and strength was a significant increase. The result which measured of the change of the Internal abdominal oblique, External abdominal oblique on muscle thickness was a significant increase. Stabilization exercise group and Strength exercise group showed the significant difference in muscle thickness on Transversus abdominis, Multifidus. Stabilization exercise group was more increased in muscle thickness. Conclusion : Therefore, we suggest that stabilization exercise is effective for non-specific low back pain.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.105-112
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• 2022

Objective: Nonspecific low back pain (NS-LBP) causes pain and disability, affecting the neuromuscular system and altering gait patterns. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of improvement of low back pain symptoms through physical therapy on foot pressure and spatiotemporal gait parameters. Design: A pilot study. Methods: Participants received manual therapy and supervised therapeutic exercise, which consisted of 12 sessions for 6 weeks. Participants were assessed for pain intensity (a numeric pain rating scale), disability index (oswestry disability index), and spatiotemporal gait parameters before and after intervention. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to analyze the before-and-after differences in a single group. Results: All seven NS-LBP patients completed the study without dropout. After six weeks of physical therapy, the numeric pain rating scale and oswestry disability index showed significant improvement (Z= -2.388, P=0.017). There was no significant improvement in both static and dynamic conditions in foot pressure (P>0.05). However, in the spatiotemporal gait parameters, there were significant differences in all variables except the right stance phase and left mid stance (P<0.05). Conclusions: In our pilot study, 12 sessions of physical therapy in NS-LBP patients improved gait quilty in spatiotemporal gait parameters. Similarly, it has resulted in clinically positive improvements in pain and disability.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.482-487
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• 2014

Objective : We assessed the life-time prevalence (LTP) of chronic low back pain (LBP) in young Korean males. We also evaluated the relationship between lumbar spinal lesions and their health related quality-of-life (HRQOL). Methods : A cross-sectional, self-reported survey was conducted in Korean males (aged 19-year-old) who underwent physical examinations for the conscript. We examined 3331 examinees in November 2014. We included 2411 subjects, who accepted to participate this study without any comorbidities. We interviewed using simple binary questions for their LBP experience and chronicity. HRQOL was assessed by Short-Form Health-Survey-36 (SF-36) in chronic LBP and healthy control groups. Radiological assessment was performed in chronic LBP group to determine whether there were any pathological causes of their symptoms. Results : The LTP of chronic LBP was 13.4%. Most (71.7%) of them didn't have any lumbar spinal lesions (i.e., non-specific chronic LBP). The SF-36 subscale and summary scores were significantly lower in subjects with chronic LBP. Between specific and non-specific chronic LBP group, all physical and mental subscale scores were significantly lower in specific chronic LBP group, except mental health (MH) subscale score. In MH subscale and mental component summary score, statistical significant differences didn't appear between two groups (p=0.154, 0.126). Conclusion : In Korean males 19 years of age, the LTP of chronic LBP was 13.4%, and more than two-thirds were non-specific chronic LBP. Chronic LBP had a significant impact on HRQOL. The presence of lumbar spinal pathoanatomical lesions affected mainly on the physical aspect of HRQOL. It influenced little on the mental health.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.8-19
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• 2021

Low-level laser therapy including laser acupuncture (LLLT/LA) has been widely used for non-specific chronic low back pain (NCLBP). However, there is no critically appraised evidence of its potential benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of LLLT/LA for NCLBP. There were 12 databases (MEDLINE, CENTRAL, EMBASE, KoreaMed, KMBASE, KISS, NDSL, KISTI, OASIS, CNKI, CiNII, J-stage) searched for randomized controlled trials using LLLT/LA for NCLBP up until June 2019. The primary outcome was pain intensity and functional status/disability due to NCLBP. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted on 20 studies involving 1,323 participants. LLLT/LA showed a significant positive effect on pain relief scores compared with sham treatments (SMD -0.51, 95% CI: -0.88 to -0.13; χ2 = 31.12, I2 = 74%). Alone, the therapy showed a significant positive effect on function/disability scores (30 participants, MD -11.90, 95% CI: -17.37 to -6.43). As an add-on treatment, it showed a significant positive effect on pain relief (80 participants, MD -5.10, 95% CI: -9.31 to -0.88; χ2 = 28.99, I2 = 97%) and improved function/disability scores (120 participants, MD 5.44, 95% CI: 2.19 to 8.68; χ2 = 4.07, I2 = 75%). Among 20 studies, 9 studies reported no adverse events and 1 study reported mild adverse events. LLLT/LA may be an alternative or add-on treatment for NCLBP.