EFFECTS OF MANUAL THERAPY IN UNCONSCIOUS CHRONIC LOMBAR PAIN IN ADULTS

Abstract

Low back pain is the leading cause of disability in the world today. The objective of this literature review is to critically identify and evaluate studies investigating the effects of manual therapy on nonspecific chronic low back pain. Electronic databases and books were searched, which added 19 works in the Portuguese and English languages. Preferably articles controlled and randomized clinical trials of the last 10 years and classic publications on the subject. With a total sample of 2265 participants in the studies, in most studies manual therapy had a positive effect mainly in pain and disability but did not differ from other interventions, in some cases the positive effects of manual therapy were similar to those of placebo interventions. Manual therapy seems to have positive effects immediately after the intervention and in the short term up to 12 weeks although it does not differ in many cases from other interventions. In the long run the effects remained inconclusive and no undesirable adverse effects were reported in these studies. More studies with longer follow-ups should be performed in this group of individuals.