Effects of soft lumbar orthoses on result of physiotherapy and rehabilitation in patients with low back pain

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of using soft lumbar orthosis on pain, physical, functional, and psychological parameters in patients with low back pain. 50 participants with physician diagnosed low back pain and no experience of using lumbar orthosis were included from Private Medistate Kavacik Hospital Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Unit. Participants were divided into two groups as experimental (n=25) and control (n=25). The experimental group received a 5-day weekly physiotherapy programme for 3 weeks and used soft lumbar orthosis during the rehabilitation period. The control group received the same 5-day weekly physiotherapy programme for 3 weeks without using any orthoses. Patients were examined before the physiotherapy treatment, after 15 sessions of the physiotherapy treatment and at 3-months follow up after the treatment. Pain was assessed by Numerical Analogue Scale(NAS) and McGill Pain Scale (MPS); muscle strength was assessed manually; mobility and flexibility performance was assessed by Trunk Lateral Flexion Test (TLFT), Sit to Stand Test (SST), Lumbar Schober Test (LST) and Fingertip to Floor Test (FTFT); muscle endurance was assessed by the number of trunk flexion and extension in 60 seconds; Psychological condition was assessed with Beck Depression Scale (BDS); functional disability was assessed with Oswestry Functional Disability Scale (OFDS); and health-related quality of life was assessed with SF-36 Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). The results showed significant differences for each assessment time in both groups for NAS, MPS, TLFT, SST, LST, FTFT, muscle strength, muscle endurance, MPS, BDS, OFDS and SF-36 (p<0,05). Group comparison revealed significant improvements in the experimental group for NAS, MPS, TLFT, SST, FTFT, OFDS, SF-36 (p<0,05). In conclusion, both physiotherapy treatment and physiotherapy treatment with additional use of lumbar orthoses are effective interventions for low back pain patients, and lumbar orthoses increased the positive effects of the physiotherapy programme. Both interventions may be applied in low back pain patients, and additional use of orthoses may be used in physiotherapy treatment. Future studies should investigate the effects of different physiotherapy programmes with additional lumbar orthoses use.