Clinical relevance of massage therapy and abdominal hypopressive gymnastics on chronic nonspecific low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To determine the clinical relevance of the effects that Massage-Therapy (MT) and Abdominal-Hypopressive-Gymnastics (AHG) and the combination of both procedures have on the disability, pain intensity, quality of life, and lumbar mobility of patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNSLBP).

METHODS

A randomized controlled-trial with parallel-groups, concealed allocation, assessor blinding, and intention-to-treat analysis was carried out. The sample included 60 adults with CNSLBP. The participants received MT (n = 20), AHG (n = 20), or MT + AHG (n = 20). Each group received 8 interventions.

RESULTS

The ODI change scores were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the MT + AHG group than in the other two groups. Significant differences were found in the results of NRS, Schober's test, and SF-12 PCS (p < 0.05) in each group. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) between the values of SF-12 MCS in AHG and MT + AHG groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Massage Therapy and Abdominal Hypopressive Gymnastics reduce pain levels, increase the mobility of the lumbar spine, and improve disability and quality of life (PCS) in patients with CNSLBP in the short term. Likewise, AHG and MT + AHG improve quality of life (MCS). The combination of both therapies provides more benefits in terms of lumbar disability in patients with CNSLBP in the short term. This improvement is clinically relevant.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02721914).

UNLABELLED: IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONMassage Therapy (MT) and Abdominal Hypopressive Gymnastics (AHG), reduce pain, improve mobility and quality of life, and reduce disability in the short term.These results are clinically relevant.The combination of manual and active therapy (MT + AHG) seems to be more effective and produces clinically relevant changes.