Abstract
M. Tech.
This randomised, comparative study was undertaken in order to evaluate whether a menthol-containing gel (Deep Heat® Rub) combined with Chiropractic adjustments on mechanical low back pain, over a three-week period, is more effective than Chiropractic adjustments and aqueous cream only.Thirty participants who conformed to the specified inclusion and exclusion criteria, were accepted to form part of the study. The thirty participants were placed randomly into two groups of fifteen participants each. The Experimental Group received lumbar spine and/or Sacroiliac adjustment(s) over the restricted joint(s) together with the application of Deep Heat® Gel, and the Control Group received lumbar spine and/or Sacroiliac adjustment(s) over the restricted joint(s) together with the application of non-medicated aqueous cream. All participants received a total of six treatments over a three-week period, i.e. two treatments per week. Each participant was requested to come in for a follow-up consultation one day after the last treatment session used for data capturing only. The subjective data was collected by means of the Revised Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire, taken prior to the first, fourth and at the seventh consultations. The objective data, in the form of lumbar range of motion, was obtained by means of a Digital Inclinometer, taken prior to every consultation. Data was statistically analysed by means of the Friedman and Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests for intra-group comparisons and the Mann-Whitney test for inter-group comparisons.The results indicated that the treatment protocols used in the Control and the Experimental Group were equally effective in reducing low back pain and disability as well as increasing the lumbar range of motion. The Control Group did, however, demonstrate statistically significant differences in three out of six ranges of motion, compared to two out of six for the Experimental Group, although no statistically significant differences were found.The results of this study suggest that Chiropractic adjustive therapy (with non-medicated aqueous cream) alone or when administered with Deep Heat® Rub are equally effective in terms of subjective pain perception and objective clinical findings in the treatment of mechanical low back pain. No statistically significant difference could be seen when participants received diversified spinal adjustive therapy and application of aqueous cream, compared to receiving diversified spinal adjustive therapy and application of Deep Heat® Rub.