Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether interferential current (IFC) before Pilates
exercises is more effective than placebo in patients with chronic nonspecific low
back pain. DESIGN: Two-arm randomized controlled trial,
with a blinded assessor,
and 6 months follow-up. SETTING: Clinic of a school of physical therapy.
PARTICIPANTS: The random sample consisted of patients
(N=148) of both sexes, with
age between 18 and 80 years and chronic nonspecific low back pain. In addition,
participants were recruited by disclosure of the treatment in the media.
INTERVENTIONS: Patients were allocated into 2 groups: active IFC + Pilates or
placebo IFC + Pilates. In the first 2 weeks, patients were treated for 30 minutes
with active or placebo IFC. In the following 4 weeks, 40 minutes of Pilates
exercises were added after the application of the active or placebo IFC. A total
of 18 sessions were offered during 6 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary
outcome measures were pain intensity, pressure pain threshold, and disability
measured at 6 weeks after randomization. RESULTS: No significant differences were
found between the groups for pain (0.1 points; 95% confidence interval, -0.9 to
1.0 points), pressure pain threshold (25.3kPa; 95% confidence interval, -4.4 to
55.0kPa), and disability (0.4 points; 95% confidence interval, -1.3 to 2.2).
However, there was a significant difference between baseline and 6-week and
6-month follow-ups in the intragroup analysis for all outcomes (P<.05), except
pressure pain threshold in the placebo IFC + Pilates group. CONCLUSIONS: These
findings suggest that active IFC before Pilates exercise is not more effective
than placebo IFC with respect to the outcomes assessed in patients with chronic
nonspecific low back pain.
CI - Copyright (c) 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS