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Effectiveness of Electrotherapy Techniques to Treat Low Back Pain

NCT02297685 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 60

Last updated 2018-04-05

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Objective: The aim of this investigation was compare the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and interferential currents (IC) on chronic low back pain. Forty-eight patients diagnosed as having chronic low back pain were randomly assigned to three groups: control (sham electrotherapy; age 47 ± 8 years), interferential currents (IC; age 48 ± 8 years) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS; age 48 ± 8 years). Patients in all groups received 12 × 30-min sessions of the assigned treatment for a period of 4 weeks plus therapeutic exercises. Before and after the treatment, low back pain was measured using a 100-mm visual analogue scale and functional disability level was measured using the Rolland Morris Disability Questionnaire. Participants status was followed up 3 months after the end of the treatment.

Conditions

  • Chronic Low Back Pain

Interventions

DEVICE

Sham Transcutaneous nerve stimulation

The group with sham transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) did not receive any electrical treatment. We placed 4 surface electrodes (5x5 cm Prim-Trode, Spain) over the L1 and L5 transverse processes with respect to the spine but we did not delivery any current. The patients were informed that they may or may not feel any sensation at the application site of the electrodes.

DEVICE

Transcutaneous nerve stimulation

The group with transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) received electrical stimulation for 12 sessions at a frequency of 80 Hz and with a pulse width of 150 ns. The TENS was delivered by using 4 surface electrodes (5x5 cm Prim-Trode, Spain) placed over the L1 and L5 transverse processes with respect to the spine. The current intensity was set 3 times during each session according to each patient's sensitivity.

DEVICE

Interferential currents

The group with IC received a base frequency of 4000 Hz with AMF = 65 Hz, sweep = 95 Hz and slope of 1/1 in tetrapolar mode (Endomed 492 Enraf-nonius, Netherlands). The current was applied by using 4 surface electrodes (5x5 cm Prim-Trode, Spain) into two channels: were symmetrically placed over the L1 and L5 transverse processes with respect to the spine; the current intensity was set 3 times during each session according to each patient's sensitivity.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Public Health Service of Madrid

    collaborator OTHER

  • Camilo Jose Cela University

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Juan Del Coso, PhD · Camilo Jose Cela University

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
60 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2014-12-01
Primary Completion
2015-03-01
Completion
2015-07-01

Countries

  • Spain

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT02297685 on ClinicalTrials.gov