Muscle contraction exercise for low back pain.

Abstract

Background: Low-back pain (LBP) continues to be one of the main problems for which sufferers seek treatment in primary care. It can be treated with different physiotherapy mechanisms.

Objective: The purpose of the study is to compare the effect of isotonic and isometric exercise on the reported pain of patients with low back pain.

Methods: Thirty participants, 16 males and 14 females aged between 22 and 50 years suffering from nonspecific low back pain were included. The sample was divided randomly into two groups, group A isometric exercises and group B isotonic exercises, both groups received conservative therapy of TENS and infrared (IR) therapy. The following outcome measures were used: Visual analogue scale, modified Oswestry disability index (MODI) and Endurance Test Measurement were administered pre-treatment and at the end of four weeks of treatment.

Results: Both groups were comparable in terms of demographic data, except for weight. Inter group analysis was done using the Mann-Whitney test. When comparing pre- and post-treatments using VAS scores, there were no significant differences between group A and group B (pre-test: $P=0.285$; Post-test: $P=0.838$). Mann-Whitney test was used to calculate the P-value test between pre-treatment and post- treatment for MODI and there was no significant difference between group A and group B, where the pre-test P-value was 0.061, and post-treatment was 0.077. Comparing between groups, pre- and post-abdominal endurance scores were done using the Mann-Whitney test. The pre-treatment scores revealed P value of 0.345, and the post-treatment scores revealed P value of 0.305. Therefore, there is no statistically significant difference between group A and group B in endurance scores.

Conclusion: There was no difference between the use isotonic and isometric exercises on LBP patients.