Treatment of low back pain by acupressure and physical therapy: randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of acupressure in terms of disability, pain scores, and functional status.

Design: Randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Orthopaedic clinic in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

A randomized controlled clinical trial for low back pain treated by acupressure and physical therapy.

Background: Although acupressure has been reported to be effective in managing various types of pain, its efficacy in relieving pain associated with low back pain (LBP) remains unclear. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of acupressure with that of physical therapy in reducing low back pain.

Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial in an orthopedic referral hospital in Taiwan was conducted between December 20, 2000, and March 2, 2001.