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Interferential therapy electrode placement technique in acute low back pain: a preliminary investigation |
Hurley DA, Minder PM, McDonough SM, Walsh DM, Moore AP, Baxter DG |
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2001 Apr;82(4):485-493 |
clinical trial |
7/10 [Eligibility criteria: Yes; Random allocation: Yes; Concealed allocation: Yes; Baseline comparability: Yes; Blind subjects: No; Blind therapists: No; Blind assessors: No; Adequate follow-up: Yes; Intention-to-treat analysis: Yes; Between-group comparisons: Yes; Point estimates and variability: Yes. Note: Eligibility criteria item does not contribute to total score] *This score has been confirmed* |
OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of interferential therapy (IFT) electrode placement technique compared with a control treatment in subjects with acute low back pain (LBP). DESIGN: Single-blind, randomized, controlled trial with a 3-month follow-up. SETTING: Outpatient physiotherapy departments in hospital and university settings. PATIENTS: A random sample of 60 eligible patients with back pain (28 men, 32 women) were recruited by general practitioners and self-referral for physiotherapy treatment and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups. INTERVENTIONS: (1) "IFT painful area" and the back book, (2) "IFT spinal nerve" and the back book, and (3) "control", the back book only. Standardized IFT stimulation parameters were used: carrier frequency 3.85 kHz; 140 Hz constant; pulse duration 130 micros; 30 minutes' duration. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain Rating Index, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), and EuroQol were completed by subjects pretreatment, at discharge, and 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: All groups had significant improvements in all outcomes at follow-up. Subjects managed by IFT spinal nerve and The Back Book displayed both a statistically significant (p = 0.030) and clinically meaningful reduction in functional disability (RMDQ), compared with management via IFT painful area and the back book combined or the back book alone. CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed that IFT electrode placement technique affects LBP-specific functional disability, providing preliminary implications for future clinical studies.
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