BACKGROUND In the currently available research publications on electrical
therapy of
low back pain, generally no control groups or detailed randomization were used, and such studies were often conducted with relatively small groups of patients, based solely on subjective questionnaires and
pain assessment scales (lacking measurement methods to objectify the therapeutic progress). The available literature also lacks a comprehensive and large-scale clinical study. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of treating
low back pain using selected
electrotherapy methods. The study assesses the influence of individual electrotherapeutic treatments on reduction of
pain, improvement of the range of movement in lower section of the spine, and improvement of motor functions and mobility. MATERIAL AND METHODS The 127 patients qualified for the
therapy (ultimately, 123 patients completed the study) and assigned to 6 comparison groups: A - conventional
TENS, B - acupuncture-like
TENS, C - high-voltage electrical stimulation, D - interferential current stimulation, E - diadynamic current, and F - control group. RESULTS The research showed that using electrical stimulation with interferential current penetrating deeper into the tissues results in a significant and more efficient elimination of
pain, and an improvement of functional ability of patients suffering from
low back pain on the basis of an analysis of both subjective and objective parameters. The
TENS currents and high voltage were helpful, but not as effective. The use of diadynamic currents appears to be useless. CONCLUSIONS Selected electrical
therapies (interferential current,
TENS, and high voltage) appear to be effective in treating chronic
low back pain.