Effects of Muscle Energy Technique versus Mobilization on Pain and Disability in Post-Partum Females with Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

Abstract

Post Partum phase is the period immediately after delivery till 6 weeks. Low back pain due to sacroiliac Dysfunction is commonly experienced during this phase due to physiological changes which happen during pregnancy as well as biomechanical changes which leads to altered posture. Current study intended to compare the effects of 2 different manual therapy techniques i.e. Mobilization and Muscle Energy Technique (MET) on pain and disability in Post partum females diagnosed with Sacroiliac dysfunction. 30 subjects were randomly allocated into 2 groups, Group A(Mobilization) and Group B (Muscle Energy Technique) with 15 subjects allocated in each group using Simple Random Sampling. Readings were taken for Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and Modified Oswestry Disability Index (MODI) on baseline and at the end of 4th week. Analysis of data collected was done by using SPSS Software version 16. Results showed that although both the groups (A&B) improved at the end of 4th week, the results of Group B were more significant compared to group A in terms of reducing pain (p= 0.03) and disability (0.036). Muscle Energy Technique was found to be more effective in females with post partum low back pain due to Sacroiliac dysfunction as measured by Numeric Pain Rating Scale and Modified Oswestry Disability. The results could be explained on the basis of neurophysiological and mechanical effects of MET on pain.