The following is a summary of “Positive effect of pulse electromagnetic field therapy on pain and disability in chronic low back pain: a comparative study,” published in the June 2024 issue of Rheumatology by Ozturk et al.

Chronic low back pain, defined as pain lasting over three months, is a prevalent global issue leading to significant disability and many individuals losing jobs.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study examining the impact of adding pulse electromagnetic field therapy (PEMFT) to standard physical therapy on pain levels and functional outcomes in individuals with chronic low back pain.

They involved 69 patients diagnosed with chronic low back pain who were divided into 2 groups, 1 received lumbar transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, infrared therapy, and ultrasound treatments, while the other group received PEMFT. Patient records were reviewed and assessed using the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QBPDS) for functional capacity and the impact of low back pain, along with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain, both pre- and post-treatment, were involved in the analysis.

The result showed no significant differences between the 2 groups in the pretreatment VAS and QBPDS scores (P>0.05). Both groups showed lower scores in the second and third measurements compared to the initial VAS and QBPDS scores (P<0.001), although no significant difference between the second and third measurement scores was observed (P>0.05). In the inter-group comparison, the PEMFT group’s second and third measurement scores were significantly lower than the control group (P<0.001).

Investigators concluded that PEMFT showed a potential as a safe and effective complement to physical therapy for chronic low back pain, warranting further investigation.

Source: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00296-024-05645-x