Comparative Efficacy of Interferential Therapy and Microcurrent on Pain, Range of Motion and Function in subjects with Chronic Non Specific Low Back Pain a randomized clinical trial

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: There are many studies available on the efficacy of Interferential Therapy on Pain, Range of Motion and Function in subjects with chronic non-specific low back pain. However very few studies have been conducted on Microcurrent in the treatment of chronic non- specific low back pain. To the best of our knowledge there are no studies available which compared the efficacy of Interferential Therapy and Microcurrent in chronic non- specific low back pain.

So, the purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of Interferential Therapy and Microcurrent along with Supervised Exercise on Pain, Range of Motion and Function in subjects with chronic non-specific low back pain.

AIM:

To find out the comparative efficacy of Interferential Therapy and Microcurrent on Pain, Range of Motion and Function in subjects with chronic non-specific low back pain**.**

OBJECTIVES:

1. To find out the efficacy of Interferential Therapy along with Supervised Exercise on Pain, Range of Motion and Function in subjects with chronic non-specific low back pain**.** 2. To find out the efficacy of Microcurrent along with Supervised Exercise on Pain, Range of Motion and Function in subjects with chronic non-specific low back pain**.** 3. To compare the efficacy of Interferential Therapy along with Supervised Exercise and Microcurrent along with Supervised Exercise on Pain, Range of Motion and Function in subjects with chronic non-specific low back pain**.**

HYPOTHESIS:

NULL HYPOTHESIS (H0):There is no statistically significant difference between the efficacy of Interferential Therapy and Microcurrent on Pain, Range of Motion and Function in subjects with chronic non-specific low back pain.

ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS (H1): There is statistically significant difference between the efficacy of Interferential Therapy and Microcurrent on Pain, Range of Motion and Function in subjects with chronic non-specific low back pain. PROCEDURE: After obtaining the Approval from the Institutional Ethical Committee (IEC), all the subjects with Low Back Pain referred from the Assessment Clinic of National Institute for Locomotor Disabilities (Divyangjan) [NILD] will be approached, assessed and screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Subjects meeting the exclusion criteria will not be included. Those meeting the inclusion criteria will be explained in detail about the aim and procedure of the study in their most communicable language. Written informed consent in their preferred language will be taken from the subjects agreeing to participate.

The subjects will be divided into two groups with a minimum of 17 subjects in each group, by block randomization method. The demographic data and outcome measures for Pain using the ‘Numerical Pain Rating Scale, Range of Motion by ‘Modified- Modified Schober’s test’ and Function by ‘Oswestry Disability Index’ will be collected at baseline as pre intervention data and at the end of 10 sessions as post intervention data.

Group - A: All the subjects in Group A (n = 17) will be treated with Interferential Therapy for 10 minutes followed by Supervised Exercise Program for 10 sessions.

Group - B: All the subjects in Group B (n = 17) will be treated with Microcurrent for 20 minutes followed by Supervised Exercise Program for 10 sessions. Home Exercise Program and Ergonomic Care will be explained to all the subjects in both groups. Rescue medications duly prescribed by physician will be continued along with the Physiotherapeutic approach in both the groups during the study.