Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of shiatsu therapy for chronic low back pain and sleep disturbance. We conducted a secondary analysis of the randomized trial at a large academic hospital in Tokyo. Patients with chronic low back pain were included. Patients were randomly assigned to either shiatsu therapy in addition to standard care or standard care only by computer randomization. Our primary outcome was improvement of the global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score, and the secondary outcomes were improvement in each component of the PSQI at weeks 4 and 8. We included a total of 59 patients. The mean age was 67.8 (SD: 13.5) years, and 21 patients (35.6%) were male. The global PSQI scores improved in the intervention group at week 4 (adjusted β coefficient: 1.16, 95% confidence interval: 0.10-2.21) and week 8 (adjusted β coefficient: 1.82, 95% confidence interval: 0.74-2.90). In terms of each component of the PSQI, sleep efficiency (component 4) and sleep disturbance (component 5) were improved, but use of sleep medication (component 5) worsened in the intervention group compared with the control group in several models. Shiatsu therapy in addition to standard therapy for chronic low back pain may improve sleep quality after intervention.
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