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Published Online: 8 December 2020

Efficacy of Muscle Energy Technique and Myofascial Release in Nonspecific Low Back Pain—A Comparative Study

Publication: Alternative and Complementary Therapies
Volume 26, Issue Number 6

Abstract

Objective: Physical therapy interventions for low back pain (LBP) consist of a wide spectrum of options, including manual therapy techniques such as muscle energy technique (MET) and myofascial release (MFR). There is currently a lack of strong or significant evidence on which techniques are preferred for certain conditions. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of MET and MFR in patients with nonspecific LBP.
Methods: This experimental nonrandomized trial included 31 subjects who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria through convenience sampling and were divided into two groups. Preintervention data were collected from both groups and informed consent was obtained. Group A was administered MFR and Group B was administered MET. The course of treatment for the whole procedure was seven sessions for each group. Pain and disability, measured by the visual analog scale and Oswestry Disability Index, were the outcome measures included for the study.
Results: The results of the study showed that there was a significant difference in reduction of pain in patients treated with MET, with a mean of 1.98 ± 0.71 and 1.93 ± 0.60 on postintervention (8th day) and follow-up (21st day), as compared with patients treated with MFR, with a mean of 2.39 ± 0.77 and 2.76 ± 0.64 on postintervention (8th day) and follow-up (21st day).
Conclusion: Although both MET and MFR have been shown to be effective in reducing pain and disability after treatment, it was found that after follow-up, MET was more effective in reducing pain in patients with nonspecific LBP.

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References

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cover image Alternative and Complementary Therapies
Alternative and Complementary Therapies
Volume 26Issue Number 6December 2020
Pages: 258 - 260

History

Published online: 8 December 2020
Published in print: December 2020

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Abhishek Das
Abhishek Das, MPT, is an assistant professor, and Ujwal Bhattacharya, MPT, is an associate professor in the department of physiotherapy, Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India. Vivek Chauhan, MPT, is an assistant professor in the department of physiotherapy, Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
Ujwal Bhattacharya
Abhishek Das, MPT, is an assistant professor, and Ujwal Bhattacharya, MPT, is an associate professor in the department of physiotherapy, Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India. Vivek Chauhan, MPT, is an assistant professor in the department of physiotherapy, Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
Vivek Chauhan
Abhishek Das, MPT, is an assistant professor, and Ujwal Bhattacharya, MPT, is an associate professor in the department of physiotherapy, Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India. Vivek Chauhan, MPT, is an assistant professor in the department of physiotherapy, Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.

Author Disclosure Statement

No competing financial interests exist.

Funding Information

This was a self-funded study. No funding was received from any agency.▪

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