The Effect of Shortwave Diathermy Treatment on Muscle Power in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of shortwave diathermy therapy combined with exercise on lumbar muscle strength. Patients and methods: Our study was an interventional study involving 90 patients with chronic low back pain who were admitted to our clinic between 2007-2008. Patients were randomized into 3 groups (each group had 30 patients). The same exercise programs were given to all groups. Patients in the first group were applied placebo shortwave diathermy treatment, the second group was applied continuous shortwave diathermy and the third group received pulsed shortwave diathermy. Isokinetic muscle strength measurements of the patients were performed before and three months after the treatment. Results: In our study, the only significant difference observed between the groups was in isometric flexion strength and interestingly the first group had higher improvement compared to the other groups. In regard to within group comparisons, Group 1 was found to have significant improvements in strengths for:isometric flexion, isokinetic flexion (60°/sec and 120°/sec), isokinetic extension (60°/sec and 120°/sec). Group 2 had significant improvements in isokinetic flexion and extension (60°/sec) and also isokinetic extension (120°/sec). In Group 3, none of the improvements were found to be significant. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that there are no significant differences between exercise therapy alone and exercise therapy in combination with diathermy (either continuous or pulsed) in terms of their effects on lumbar muscle strength, even though marginal differences in some of the measurements were observed.