CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT04859842Updated Sep 25, 2023

Comparison of Two Electrotherapy Methods on Chronic Low Back Pain

An interventional study of Pulse Electromagnetic Field and Interferential Current in Low Back Pain, Mechanical, sponsored by Abant Izzet Baysal University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-09-25.

Sponsored by Abant Izzet Baysal University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
102
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 80 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The purpose of this study is; to compare the effects of interferential current therapy (IF) applied in addition to conventional physical therapy on pain, functional status and quality of life compared to pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) in patients with chronic low back pain.

Read the detailed description

The low back is the most common region for musculoskeletal pain. Many factors play a role in the etiology of low back pain. A certain etiological factor or pathophysiological mechanism cannot be found in 85-90% of the patients.

Approximately 80% of those living in industrialized countries experience low back pain in some part of their lives. 10% of low back pain becomes chronic. It is believed that 1% of workforce losses are due to low back pain. This type of pain often occurs when the back muscles, tendons and ligaments are exposed to stress or strain. Mechanical back pains are chronic pain that often affects the lower part of the spine and radiates to the gluteal region. Since daily activities such as leaning, turning, lifting, standing and sitting for a long time increase the pain, the intensity of the pain increases during the day.

Interferential current (IF) therapy is obtained from two medium frequency currents and is applied by delivering a low frequency current (for example 20 to 100 Hz) to the tissue.

Pulsed ElectroMagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy, which is among physical therapy methods, is frequently used in the treatment of knee, hip and spine osteoarthritis symptoms. It is thought that magnetic field therapy improves the oxygen utilization of the cells and the erythrocytes release more oxygen under the influence of the magnetic field, thus having a positive effect on the circulatory system

02

Conditions studied

  • Low Back Pain, Mechanical

Keywords

  • Rehabilitation
  • Electric Stimulation Therapy
  • Quality of Life
  • Pain
03

In context

Back Pain

2,373 studies on the registry are indexed under Back Pain; 284 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 102 is above the median of 60 across 1,941 interventional studies indexed under Back Pain.

Browse Back Pain studies →

Lead sponsor

Abant Izzet Baysal University is the lead sponsor of 242 studies on the registry; 64 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 80 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Being diagnosed with nonspecific low back pain
  • Symptom onset with more than 3 months

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of surgery on low back region
  • Structural deformity on the low back region
  • Radiculopathy
  • Tumor or malignancy
  • Any skin condition that prevents usage of electrotherapy
  • Having a pace maker or other types of implants on the low back, pelvis and thoracic region
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
102 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Pulse Electromagnetic Field Group

    Pulse Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF) will be applied to patients' low back region. Also, patients will receive a conventional therapy program consisting of hotpack, ultrasound, and transcutaneous electrical stimulation in addition to PEMF therapy.

    Other: Pulse Electromagnetic Field

  • Active comparator
    Interferential Current Group

    Interferential current will be applied to patients' low back pain region. Also, patients will receive a conventional therapy program consisting of hotpack, ultrasound, and transcutaneous electrical stimulation in addition to Interferential current.

    Other: Interferential Current

  • Sham comparator
    Sham Group

    Sham electrodes will be placed on the low back region. Also, patients will receive a conventional therapy program consisting of hotpack, ultrasound, and transcutaneous electrical stimulation in addition to sham therapy.

    Other: Sham

Interventions

  • OtherPulse Electromagnetic Field

    Patients will be treated for two weeks, five days a week, one session a day, and 10 sessions with PEMF in prone position. Each session will be 45 minute long with a 15 minute PEMF therapy and a 30 minute conventional therapy program.

  • OtherInterferential Current

    Patients will be treated for two weeks, five days a week, one session a day, and 10 sessions with Interferential current in prone position. Four interferential electrode will be placed on low back region. Each session will be 45 minute long with a 15 minute interferential current and a 30 minute conventional therapy program.

  • OtherSham

    Patients will be treated for two weeks, five days a week, one session a day, and 10 sessions with conventional therapy and sham electrotherapy. Sham application will be performed on prone position with four electrodes and electrodes will stay for 15 minutes on this region.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)

    It contains 11 digits that should be assigned according to the perceived pain intensity on a numerical scale. The participant chooses the number that best reflects his or her pain. In our study, the patients were informed that the '0' point was not pain at all, and the '10' point expressed unbearable pain.

    Time frame: two weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire

    It is a questionnaire developed to evaluate functional disabilities in patients with low back pain. Turkish validity and reliability study was conducted in 2001 (20). In the 24-sentence questionnaire about functional impairments, patients are asked to answer each sentence as yes if it fits their situation, and no if it does not. Yes responses are calculated as "1" and no answers are calculated as "0" points. In this questionnaire with a total score between 0-24, the higher score means more disability.

    Time frame: two weeks

  2. Euroqol Quality Of Life Scale

    EQ-5D is a self-report scale developed by the EuroQoL group, the Western European quality of life research community, and evaluates five dimensions with 1 question each. These five dimensions consist of subtitles of mobility, self-care, usual daily activities, pain / discomfort and anxiety / depression. The answers given to each dimension have 3 options: no problem, some problem and major problem. As a result, 243 possible different health outcomes are defined with the scale. An index score ranging from -0.59 to 1 is calculated from the 5 dimensions of the scale. In the score function, a value of 0 indicates death, a value of 1 indicates perfect health, while negative values indicate unconsciousness, living dependent on bed, etc. show situations. Also included in the scale is a VAS (EQ-VAS) that includes answers between 0 and 100, ie "0 = the worst health condition imaginable" and "100 = the best health condition imaginable".

    Time frame: two weeks

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Faculty of Health Sciences Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University
    Bolu, Merkez 14100, Turkey
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 25, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04859842
Lead sponsor
Abant Izzet Baysal University
Responsible party
Ramazan KURUL (Assistant Professor, Abant Izzet Baysal University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Apr 26, 2021
Start date
Apr 21, 2021
Primary completion
Dec 21, 2022
Completion
Dec 30, 2022
Last update
Sep 25, 2023

Study contacts

Mustafa Fatih Yaşar, MD
principal investigator · Bolu Abant Izzet Baylsa University
Ramazan KURUL, Ph.D
principal investigator · Bolu Abant Izzet Baylsa University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Sep 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion