Use of trunk muscle training and neuromuscular electrical stimulation to reduce pain and disability in an older adult with chronic low back pain: A case report

ABSTRACT

Among older adults, low back pain (LBP) is common, costly, and disabling. Trunk muscle training (TMT) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) have both been found to be effective in reducing LBP, but studies among older adults have been limited. An 83-year-old female with left-sided chronic LBP participated in a randomized controlled trial consisting of supervised TMT and NMES to the paraspinal muscles two times per week for 12 weeks. She also participated in a home exercise program. At the end of the intervention, she reported reduced LBP and LBP-related disability per the modified Oswestry disability index (i.e., 60% at baseline to 40% at 12 weeks). Her Short Physical Performance Battery summary score improved from 4/12 at baseline to 10/12 at 12 weeks, while her Timed Up and Go test improved from 17.21 to 15.20 s and her Repetitive Trunk Rotation test from 2.72 to 1.93 s/right–left rotation. This case demonstrates a positive short-term treatment response to TMT supplemented with NMES of the paraspinal muscles in an older adult with chronic LBP. A packaged intervention of TMT plus NMES may be a means of addressing not only LBP, but also impaired physical function and resultant disability.

KEYWORDS:

• Aged
• case report
• exercise
• geriatrics
• paraspinal muscles
• treatment outcome

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Award Number R21HD057274 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development or the National Institutes of Health. At the time of this work, Dr. Hicks was also supported by K21HD055931 and Dr. Sions was supported by the Foundation for Physical Therapy: Promotion of Doctoral Studies I/II Scholarship.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no other declarations of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Foundation for Physical Therapy [PODS I/II scholarships];National Institute on Aging [R01 AG041202]; National Institutes of Health [K12 HD055931]; National Institute of Child Health & Human Development [R21 HD057274].