Comparing AquaStretch with supervised land based stretching for Chronic Lower Back Pain.

Area of Science:

• Physical Therapy
• Aquatic Therapy
• Pain Management

Background:

• Chronic Lower Back Pain (CLBP) affects a significant portion of the UK population.
• Effective management strategies for CLBP are crucial for improving quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of AquaStretch with land-based stretching (LBS) for CLBP.
• To evaluate the impact of AquaStretch on pain reduction, kinesiophobia, and disability.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 29 subjects with CLBP.
• Three groups: AquaStretch (N=10), LBS (N=10), and Control (N=9).
• Assessments included Modified Oswestry Low Back Pain Questionnaire (MOLBPQ), Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores over 12 weeks.

Main Results:

• The AquaStretch group showed statistically significant improvements in pain reduction (P=0.006), kinesiophobia (P=0.029), and perceived disability (P=0.001).
• Both AquaStretch and LBS demonstrated benefits for CLBP patients.

Conclusions:

• AquaStretch offers additional benefits such as time efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• It can be administered by a wider range of qualified professionals beyond physiotherapists.
• Further research is recommended to explore long-term benefits and compare with land-based physical therapy programs.