Investigation of Real-Time Diagnostic Ultrasound as a Means of Biofeedback Training in Transversus Abdominus Re-Education of Patients with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Pilot Study
<b>Background:</b> It is believed that ultrasound-guided imaging of activation/contraction of the deep abdominal muscles (such as transervsus abdominis) is useful for assisting deep muscle re-education, which is often dysfunctional in non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). Thus, this pilot...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/10/1396 |
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| author | Nikolaos Taxiarchopoulos Elena Drakonaki Maria Gianniotis Charalampos Matzaroglou Elias Tsepis Evdokia Billis |
| author_facet | Nikolaos Taxiarchopoulos Elena Drakonaki Maria Gianniotis Charalampos Matzaroglou Elias Tsepis Evdokia Billis |
| author_sort | Nikolaos Taxiarchopoulos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Background:</b> It is believed that ultrasound-guided imaging of activation/contraction of the deep abdominal muscles (such as transervsus abdominis) is useful for assisting deep muscle re-education, which is often dysfunctional in non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). Thus, this pilot study aimed to evaluate the use of real-time ultrasound (US) as a feedback device for transverse abdominis (TrA) activation/contraction during an exercise program in chronic NSLBP patients. <b>Methods:</b> Twenty-three chronic NSLBP patients were recruited and randomly assigned to a US-guided (<i>n</i> = 12, 8 women, 47.6 ± 2.55 years) or control group (<i>n</i> = 11, 9 women, 46.9 ± 4.29 years). The same motor control-based exercise program was applied to both groups. All patients received physiotherapy twice per week for seven weeks. Outcome measures, tested at baseline and post-intervention, included Numeric Pain Rating Scale, TrA activation level (measured through a pressure biofeedback unit-based developed protocol), seven established motor control tests, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. <b>Results:</b> For each group, all outcome variables yielded statistical differences post-intervention (<i>p</i> < 0.05), indicating significant improvements. However, there were no significant group x time interactions for any of the outcomes (<i>p</i> > 0.05), thus, indicating no superiority of the US-guided group over the control. <b>Conclusions:</b> The addition of US as a visual feedback device for TrA re-education during a motor control exercise program was not proven superior to traditional physiotherapy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:41:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4b62015bbd3e4acd86366488e8b93ba6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:41:26Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-4b62015bbd3e4acd86366488e8b93ba62023-11-18T01:31:43ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322023-05-011110139610.3390/healthcare11101396Investigation of Real-Time Diagnostic Ultrasound as a Means of Biofeedback Training in Transversus Abdominus Re-Education of Patients with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Pilot StudyNikolaos Taxiarchopoulos0Elena Drakonaki1Maria Gianniotis2Charalampos Matzaroglou3Elias Tsepis4Evdokia Billis5Department of Physiotherapy, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, GreeceMedical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, GreeceDepartment of Physiotherapy, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, GreeceDepartment of Physiotherapy, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, GreeceDepartment of Physiotherapy, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, GreeceDepartment of Physiotherapy, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece<b>Background:</b> It is believed that ultrasound-guided imaging of activation/contraction of the deep abdominal muscles (such as transervsus abdominis) is useful for assisting deep muscle re-education, which is often dysfunctional in non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). Thus, this pilot study aimed to evaluate the use of real-time ultrasound (US) as a feedback device for transverse abdominis (TrA) activation/contraction during an exercise program in chronic NSLBP patients. <b>Methods:</b> Twenty-three chronic NSLBP patients were recruited and randomly assigned to a US-guided (<i>n</i> = 12, 8 women, 47.6 ± 2.55 years) or control group (<i>n</i> = 11, 9 women, 46.9 ± 4.29 years). The same motor control-based exercise program was applied to both groups. All patients received physiotherapy twice per week for seven weeks. Outcome measures, tested at baseline and post-intervention, included Numeric Pain Rating Scale, TrA activation level (measured through a pressure biofeedback unit-based developed protocol), seven established motor control tests, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. <b>Results:</b> For each group, all outcome variables yielded statistical differences post-intervention (<i>p</i> < 0.05), indicating significant improvements. However, there were no significant group x time interactions for any of the outcomes (<i>p</i> > 0.05), thus, indicating no superiority of the US-guided group over the control. <b>Conclusions:</b> The addition of US as a visual feedback device for TrA re-education during a motor control exercise program was not proven superior to traditional physiotherapy.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/10/1396low back painmotor control exercisesreal-time ultrasound imaging |
| spellingShingle | Nikolaos Taxiarchopoulos Elena Drakonaki Maria Gianniotis Charalampos Matzaroglou Elias Tsepis Evdokia Billis Investigation of Real-Time Diagnostic Ultrasound as a Means of Biofeedback Training in Transversus Abdominus Re-Education of Patients with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Pilot Study Healthcare low back pain motor control exercises real-time ultrasound imaging |
| title | Investigation of Real-Time Diagnostic Ultrasound as a Means of Biofeedback Training in Transversus Abdominus Re-Education of Patients with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Pilot Study |
| title_full | Investigation of Real-Time Diagnostic Ultrasound as a Means of Biofeedback Training in Transversus Abdominus Re-Education of Patients with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Pilot Study |
| title_fullStr | Investigation of Real-Time Diagnostic Ultrasound as a Means of Biofeedback Training in Transversus Abdominus Re-Education of Patients with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Pilot Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigation of Real-Time Diagnostic Ultrasound as a Means of Biofeedback Training in Transversus Abdominus Re-Education of Patients with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Pilot Study |
| title_short | Investigation of Real-Time Diagnostic Ultrasound as a Means of Biofeedback Training in Transversus Abdominus Re-Education of Patients with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Pilot Study |
| title_sort | investigation of real time diagnostic ultrasound as a means of biofeedback training in transversus abdominus re education of patients with non specific low back pain a prospective randomized controlled pilot study |
| topic | low back pain motor control exercises real-time ultrasound imaging |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/10/1396 |
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