Use the Back button in your browser to see the other results of your search or to select another record.

Detailed Search Results

A pilot study to compare the efficacy of continuous and pulsed magnetic energy (short-wave diathermy) on the relief of low back pain
Wagstaff P, Wagstaff S, Downie M
Physiotherapy 1986 Nov;72(11):563-566
clinical trial
6/10 [Eligibility criteria: Yes; Random allocation: Yes; Concealed allocation: No; Baseline comparability: No; Blind subjects: Yes; Blind therapists: No; Blind assessors: Yes; Adequate follow-up: Yes; Intention-to-treat analysis: No; Between-group comparisons: Yes; Point estimates and variability: Yes. Note: Eligibility criteria item does not contribute to total score] *This score has been confirmed*

Twenty-three patients (12 women and 11 men) aged between 25 and 65 years were randomly allocated to three forms of treatment in a pilot study to compare the efficacy of continuous and pulsed magnetic energy (short-wave diathermy) on the relief of low back pain. One group received continuous magnetic energy; a second group received pulsed magnetic energy of 82 Hz and 700 Watts; and a third group received pulsed magnetic energy of 200 Hz and 300 Watts. The frequency of all modes was 27.12 MHz. Each patient in each of the three groups was shown a common exercise programme. Patients were treated twice a week for three weeks. All patients were assessed for the severity of their pain before treatment began and prior to their last treatment, using a visual analogue scale. The study showed that all three groups had a significant relief of pain and that the groups receiving pulsed magnetic energy had a relief significantly greater than those patients in the group receiving continuous magnetic energy (p < 0.05). A larger formal trial is needed to investigate the trends received by this pilot study.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help