Effect of Soft Tissue Mobilisation on Somatic Symptoms in Chronic Low Back Pain Patients: A Pilot Pretest Post-test Randomised Clinical Trial

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Introduction: Numerous studies suggest a significant correlation between Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP) and somatic symptoms. These symptoms often stem from altered fascial biomechanics. Implementing Soft Tissue Mobilisation (STM) techniques aimed at restoring fascial biomechanics can markedly alleviate somatic symptoms associated with CLBP. Aim: To assess the efficacy of STM in alleviating somatic symptoms in patients with Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP). Materials and Methods: A pilot pretest post-test randomised clinical trial was conducted in the Department of Physiotherapy, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala, Haryana, India, from July 2023 to December 2023, on participants diagnosed with Non Specific Chronic Low Back Pain (NSCLBP) accompanied by somatic symptoms. The experimental group (Group 1), n=6 (41.00±6.29 years), received myofascial unwinding and myofascial release. In contrast, the clinical group (Group 2), n=6 (43.83±11.20 years), received conventional physiotherapy care, including structured exercises and electrophysical modalities, over 4 weeks. Both groups underwent three sessions per week, amounting to 12 sessions in total. The evaluation of somatic symptoms was conducted using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) at baseline and after the 4 weeks. Results: The statistical analysis demonstrated significant withingroup differences in HDRS (p-value=0.002) in Group 1, and no statistically significant difference in Group 2 (p-value=0.749). The between-group analysis demonstrated a statistically significant difference in HDRS (p=0.035) with a large effect size (d=1.4). Conclusion: STM effectively improves somatic symptoms in NSCLBP patients. The beneficial effect of STM on somatic symptoms can be translated into clinical practice after strengthening results in the larger population.