Movement, Alternating Hot And Cold And The Efficacy Of Low-intensity Laser Therapy Treatment Of Lumbar Muscle Strain

Objectives: To research the efficacy of exercise therapy, alternate ice and hot therapy and low power laser therapy on chronic lumbar muscle strain.Methods: This study included 32 patients (exercise-8, ice and hot-8, laser-8, combination-8) with chronic lumbar muscle strain. The exercise therapy included stretch, stability, force; The ice and hot therapy include 0℃ice massage and 60℃foment; The laser therapy use LIL irradiation, the dosage was 61.15J/cm~2 per pain spot. The period of treatment lasted 4 weeks, 4 times per week. The strength of back muscle, resistance, flexion and lateral flexion measures, Pain Questionnaire and Life function Questionnaire were used in the clinical and functional evaluations pre and post therapeutically.Results: 1.Exercise treatment: After 2 weeks' treatment, the left flexion appeared significant change (P＜0.05). After 4 weeks' treatment, VAS and ADL had significant decrease (P＜0.01). There were till significant change in VAS a month later after the treatment period (P＜0.05), but there was not significant difference between the short effect and the medium-term.2.The ice and hot therapy: After 2 weeks' treatment, the resistance time, right flexion and ADL had significant increase (P＜0.05), pain(VAS) had extremely lessened (P＜0.01), After 4 weeks' treatment, resistance time, flexion, VAS and ADL all had extremely increase (P＜0.01 ), there were till significant change in flexion a month later after the treatment period (P＜0.05), resistance time, VAS and ADL all had extremely difference than pre (P＜0.01 ). the medium-term effect is remarkably better than short (P＜0.01)3. The laser therapy: After 2 weeks' treatment, the left flexion had extremely increase (P＜0.01). After 4 weeks' treatment, resistance time, flexion, and right flexion had remarkably increase (P＜0.05), left flexion, VAS and ADL extremely changed (P＜0.01 ) .There were till significant change in resistance time, flexion, VAS and ADL a month later after the treatment period (P＜0.05). The medium-term effect is remarkably better than short (P＜0.01).4.The combination treatment: After 2 weeks' treatment, the resistance time had remarkably increase (P＜0.05). After 4 weeks' treatment, resistance time, VAS and ADL had remarkably improved (P＜0.01). The situation is the same a month later after the treatment period. The medium-term effect is remarkably better than short (P＜0.01).5. The difference among 4 group: The descend degree of VAS and ADL in the combination group were evidently more than other groups(P＜0.05～0.01); the descend degree of VAS in ice and hot group was evidently more than the exercise group(P＜0.05)and laser group(P＜0.01); there were no significant difference between the exercise group and laser group. There were no significant differences in lumbar resistance and sport function among the groups.Conclusion: The exercise therapy, ice and hot therapy and low intensity laser therapy seemed to be the effective methods. This research is the fist time to find that alternate ice and hot therapy is effective to chronic lumbar muscle strain. The curative effect of exercise therapy was close to LIL, the alternate ice and hot therapy is better than exercise therapy and LIL therapy. In addition, the combination therapy is better than any alone therapy.