Adding connective tissue manipulation to physiotherapy for chronic low back pain improves pain, mobility and well-being: a randomized controlled trial

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of connective tissue manipulation (CTM) for improving pain, mobility, and well-being in chronic low back pain (MK Sixty-six patients with CLBP were randomized to three groups: CTM, sham massage ISM) and control groups. The groups got standardized physiotherapy and the related applications 5 days/wk, 3 weeks. Pain intensity, mobility, and well-being (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS], Oswestry Disability Index [0011 and Short Form-36 [SF-361) were assessed before and after the applications. Pain, mobility, and disability improved in all groups (P< 0.05). There were differences in resting pain, HADS, and SF-36 scores in CTM, resting pain in SM, and SF-36 scores in controls (P< 0.05). Activity pain, HADS scores decreased, mobility and physical component of the SF-36 increased in CTM compared to SM IP< 0.05). Pain, [ODI], and HADS scores decreased, mobility and SF-36 increased in CTM, and ODI scores decreased in SM compared to controls (P< 0.051. In conclusion, pain intensity during activity and at night and disability decreased, and spinal mobility increased in all groups. However, CTM showed superiority in improving pain, mobility, and well-being in patients with CLBP.