Infrared Thermal Imaging as an Outcome Measure in Low Back Pain

To find out the role of infrared thermal imaging as an outcome measure in physiotherapy based intervention in low back pain. After obtaining informed consent, seventeen participants clinically and radiologically diagnosed with low back pain were included in the study. After baseline assessment for pain and tissue temperature using thermal imaging, all the participants were given interferential therapy at a frequency of 90Hz for 15mins & Low Level Laser Therapy with dose of 3.1 j/cm(2)(8 minutes) for low back pain. Pain assessment was done using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Facial Pain Scale (FPS). All participants received treatment for ten days and at the end of the last session all the subjects were re-evaluated for pain and tissue temperature. Both outcome measures were analysed by paired t test. Level of significance was kept at p<0.05. The analysis showed significant reduction in tissue temperature and pain in all participants. VAS score was significantly reduced from 6.71 +/- 2.114 to 4.06 +/- 1.853 (p<0.001) and FPS was reduced from 4.82 +/- 1.01 to 2.71 +/- 1.16 (p=0.001). Temperature was significantly reduced from 32.35 +/- 2.44 degree Celsius to 29.91 +/- 2.48 degree Celsius (p=0.002) In the present study, we found that, Infrared thermal imaging can be objectively used as an outcome measure in the treatment of low back pain.