Transcranial direct current stimulation on Pain, Disability and Quality of life in individuals with Chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomized clinical trial

Objective: to verify the effectiveness of tDCS in managing pain in individuals with CLBP; secondarily, test the hypothesis whether pain reduction is sufficient to reduce disability levels. Design: This is a randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trial. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups: simulated tDCS (n=17); Active tDCS (n=20). Setting: The study was developed at the Neuromuscular Performance Analysis Laboratory at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). Participants: The sample consisted of 37 individuals aged between 18 and 60 years with DLCNE. Intervention: Carried out twice a week for 10 weeks, totaling 20 sessions using the protocol (20 minutes, 2mA, applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Outcome measures: pre and post intervention protocol assessments of: intensity pain threshold (VAS), pressure-LDP pain threshold (algometry) and disability (Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, Oswestry Disability Index and sit-stand test. Results: At the end of the study, the active tDCS group presented). a significant reduction in the level of pain compared to the sham group (p=0.026). On the other hand, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups for the LDP outcomes (L5D p=0.427; L5E p=0.842; L3D p=0.649; L3E p= 0.788), ODI (p=0.113), RMDQ (p=0.285) and sit-to-stand test (p= 0.726) Conclusion: Despite the low clinical relevance/effect size, tDCS reduces pain in individuals with DLCNE, without interfering with pressure pain levels and disability.