Lumbar disc disease: comparative analysis of physical therapy treatments.
A randomized clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of 3 physical therapy approaches--lumbar flexion exercise, manual therapy, and home care--in the treatment of lumbar disc disease. Twenty-eight patients were assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups and were shown to be similar in age, sex, and prescores on 4 of the 5 outcome measures. With the exception of the home care patients, each patient received the appropriate treatment twice a week for a 1-month period. No statistically significant differences in measurements of pain, forward, right-side, and left-side flexion, or functional activity between the 3 groups were observed.
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001416:Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000379:methods*; D011187:Posture