title: [The use of Saunders lumbar traction in physiotherapy of patients with chronic lower back pain].
abstract: Pain of the lower back is one of the most common ailments in modem society. Such frequent occurrence of back pain syndromes is a serious medical and social problem. Despite numerous attempts, there have not been comprehensive or decisive publications on the therapeutic standard for back pain syndromes that would cover all the aspects of the ailment. Partial report can change the attitude and shed new light on the treatment of these syndromes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of Saunders lumbar tractions in patients with chronic lower back pain in comparison with the group of patients undergoing pharmacological treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 140 patients with chronic lower back pain who were divided into two groups. Each group consisted of 70 persons of mixed gender (the age mean value was 45). Group I were treated with the use of Saunders lumbar traction and Group II (control group) were treated pharmacologically. The following scales were used to assess pain and mobility of the lumbar part of the vertebral column (before treatment, in-treatment, right after treatment and 30 days after treatment): Laitinen, VAS, Rolland-Morris questionnaire and Schober functional test. The statistical analysis was performed with Greenhouse-Geisser test of within-subjects effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both the groups, a significant analgesic action and an improvement to spinal mobility were observed. Significantly better results were obtained in Group I where the patients had been treated with the use of Saunders lumbar traction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pharmacological treatment applied in Group II showed an analgesic action and influenced positively the functional parameters of the patients. The effects, however, were much worse than in Group 1 where axial Saunders traction was applied to the lumbar part of the vertebral column.
authors: Julia
authors: J
authors: Pingot
authors: Mariusz
authors: M
authors: Pingot
authors: Monika
authors: M
authors: Łabecka
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Woldańska-Okońska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D014143:Traction / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics