Preliminary evidence of the short-term effectiveness of alternative treatments for low back pain.

In recent years, there has been increased popularity for use of alternative treatment modalities for low back pain with limited investigation into whether they are effective in returning the worker to normal functionality. The objective of this study was to investigate the short-term impact on the restoration of the functional ability of common treatment modalities including physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, and massage therapy. A within subjects design was used that compared a baseline assessment to three follow-up assessments: immediately following treatment, two days and seven days post treatment. Individuals suffering from low back pain were recruited from local clinics that specialize in one of the four treatment modalities. Twenty-four individuals who were suffering from low back pain and had started one of the treatment modalities were recruited into the study. Three-dimensional motions (ROM, velocity, and acceleration) during a standardized functional capacity protocol were measured prior to and during three follow-up periods. The results show the effectiveness of the treatments was dependent upon time and were predominantly in the non-sagittal motion planes (velocities and accelerations). Individual subjective pain levels also indicate all the treatment modalities were effective after the 1-week follow-up. Findings suggest those modalities primarily focused on the back musculature (acupuncture, massage, physical therapy) were more effective with respect to functional capacity restoration. The current results provide a quantitative evaluation, based upon trunk dynamics, of the effectiveness of these four treatment modalities.