Investigation of the Effects of Classical Massage Application on Individuals With Chronic Low Back Pain

Low back pain is one of the most common problems in society, experienced by 70-80% of individuals at least once in their lifetime. Physical pain can cause serious functional losses that affect independence in daily life. In patients with low back pain, physical endurance decreases because of pain, spasm, decrease in muscle strength and deteriorated posture, and the functional capacity and quality of life of the patient are negatively affected. While most individuals recover spontaneously, 2-8% of them require medical treatment, and the response to conservative treatment is generally good. Along with medical treatment, different physiotherapy methods (electro-physical agents, massage, traction, exercises, etc.), which are conservative treatment methods, are also frequently used. It is known that classical physiotherapy modalities (heating agents and exercise approaches) have an important place in the treatment of these patients due to their positive effects on pain, strength, flexibility and functionality. Massage is used to systematically manipulate the soft tissues of the body with rhythmic pressure and to provide or maintain health. Basically, massage is a simple way to provide pain relief through physical and mental relaxation. It is thought to relieve pain in various ways, including increasing the pain threshold by secreting endorphins and closing the pain gate at the spinal cord level. Classical massage is considered rehabilitative and is also used to reduce symptoms associated with medical conditions. It has been reported that classical massage reduces many physical and psychological symptoms in different musculoskeletal problems (neck pain, fibromyalgia, etc.). However, there is a need for placebo-controlled studies in the literature examining the effects of classical massage in individuals with chronic low back pain.