Physical Activity with the Use of a Therapeutic Balloon in Chronic Low Back Pain

Abstract

Introduction: Low back pain is the pain that is located in the lumbar area and is chronic because it exceeds three months. Physical activity in a chronic stage is beneficial because it reduces pain and increases functionality.

Objective: Determine the effect of physical activity with the use of therapeutic balloon in adult patients with chronic low back pain

Materials and methods: The study was conducted under a quantitative, quasi-experimental approach, was conducted in 20 patients among men and women aged 25 to 55 years with chronic low back pain; The exercises were performed three times a week in a total of 10 sessions, for the statistical analysis the T-Student test was used, the evaluation was performed using the EVA analog pain scale and the OWESTRY lumbar disability questionnaire before and after the intervention. The research was endorsed by the bioethics committee and each participant signed their informed consent.

Results: When applying the exercise protocol with the therapeutic balloon, the results using the VAS scale were favorable because at the beginning they presented moderate to very severe pain with 85%, after the research it was possible to reduce to 35%. When analyzing the results of the OWESTRY test, a marked improvement in functionality can be affirmed, going from a 90% moderate disability before the intervention to 50% after applying the protocol. With regard to severe disability, 10% was obtained before the intervention, and it was completely eliminated once the protocol was applied. The value of statistical significance was less than 0.05 (p=0.00) therefore H0 is rejected and it is concluded that there are statistically significant differences in the percentage of disability of OWESTRY and the analog scale of EVA pain before and after the application of the protocol of exercises with therapeutic balloon.

Conclusion: Treatment with the use of therapeutic balloon in adults with chronic low back pain was positive because it decreased pain and increased functionality.