Use of trunk muscle training and neuromuscular electrical stimulation to reduce pain and disability in an older adult with chronic low back pain: A case report

Among older adults, low back pain (LBP) is common, costly, and disabling. Trunk muscle training (TMT) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) have both been found to be effective in reducing LBP, but studies among older adults have been limited. An 83-year-old female with left-sided chronic LBP participated in a randomized controlled trial consisting of supervised TMT and NMES to the paraspinal muscles two times per week for 12 weeks. She also participated in a home exercise program. At the end of the intervention, she reported reduced LBP and LBP-related disability per the modified Oswestry disability index (i.e., 60% at baseline to 40% at 12 weeks). Her Short Physical Performance Battery summary score improved from 4/12 at baseline to 10/12 at 12 weeks, while her Timed Up and Go test improved from 17.21 to 15.20 s and her Repetitive Trunk Rotation test from 2.72 to 1.93 s/right-left rotation. This case demonstrates a positive short-term treatment response to TMT supplemented with NMES of the paraspinal muscles in an older adult with chronic LBP. A packaged intervention of TMT plus NMES may be a means of addressing not only LBP, but also impaired physical function and resultant disability.