Rheumatol Int. 2013 Jul;33(7):1737-44

Durmus D, Alayli G, Goktepe AS, Taskaynatan MA, Bilgici A, Kuru O.

Is phonophoresis effective in the treatment of chronic low back pain? A single-blind randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this trial is to investigate and compare the effects of phonophoresis (PP) and ultrasound (US) therapy on pain, disability, trunk muscle strength, walking performance, spinal mobility, quality of life (QOL), and depression in the patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). A total of 60 patients with definite CLBP were included in this study. The patients were randomized into three groups. Group 1 (n = 20) was accepted as the control group and was given only exercises. Group 2 (n = 20) received US treatment and exercises. Group 3 (n = 20) received PP and exercises. All of the programs were performed 3 days a week, for 6 weeks. The pain (visual analog scale, VAS), disability (Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, ODQ and pain disability index, PDI), walking performance (6 min walking test, 6MWT), depression (Beck Depression Inventory scores, BDI), and QOL (Short Form 36, SF-36) of all participants were evaluated. The trunk muscle strength was measured with a handheld dynamometer. All of the groups showed statistically significant improvements in pain, disability, muscle strength, endurance, 6MWT, mobility, QOL, and depression. The intergroup comparison showed significant differences in VAS pain, 6MWT, and EMS, among three groups. These differences were statistically significant in groups 2 and 3 compared with the group 1. The intergroup comparison showed significant difference in pain, physical function, and energy subgroups of SF-36. The differences were statistically in group 3 compared with group 1 and 2. We observed that US and PP treatments were effective in the treatment of patients with CLBP but PP was not found to be superior over ultrasound therapy.

What Health Point Physiotherapy Does

Our physiotherapists use a number of treatment approaches when it comes to lower back pain, including ultrasound and drug phoresis.

The first step is always to make sure that we correctly identify the cause of the back pain. Following this we recommend a treatment approach specific to the needs of each patient. We commonly use electrotherapy, including ultrasound, drug phoresis, SCENAR therapy, manual therapy and Clinical Pilates. Real Time Ultrasound is used to teach you how to correctly engage your core muscles. When these muscles are strong and working properly they can significantly reduce lower back pain and prevent future recurrences.