Comparative Analysis Of Physical Therapy Treatments Of Acute Lumbo-sciatic Syndrome:

Samia Mohamed Abdel-monem Ramadan

-97-Summary and ConclusionNinety patients attending the out - patient clinic of BanhaUniversity Hospital, complaining of an acute attack of low backpul n and ~cJ.6tlCl:l wer’fj ex~unlr1r-d and t’l:tllunmly nrH’o11tHl i nt.o ttll,’;study. They were 32 females and 58 males, whose ages ranged between27 - 52 years. An initial assessment and a thorough historytaking were carried out for all the patients.The patients were admitted for a 3-weeks period of treatment,and were randomly allocated to three groups each comprising30 patients.The first group was assigned as a control group where noexercises were carried out during the treatment period. The secondgroup was assigned for the flexion programme of treatment :a- Bed rest in a semi - flexed posture and, b- A group of flexionback exercises. The third group was assigned for the extensionprogramme of treatment : a- Bed rest with their lumbar spinesextended and, b-Agroup of extension back exercises.These programmes were carried out with the simultaneous useof anti - inflammatory, muscle relaxaing and analgesic medicationstogether with daily application of a mild heating modalityto the back.After two weeks of treatment all the patients were reviewed.-98-Epidural steroid injection was indicated for those patients showingno improvement in all groups. These were ( 63 . 3% ) ofOroup’(Il, ( 43.3%) Of Oroup (III and ( 50% I of Qroup (III).Re-assessment Of patients after one weak of the injec.tion 6howeda remarkable improvement in : (52.6%) of Oroup (I), (61.5%)of Group (II) and (53.3%) of Group (Ill). A significant increasein the (SLR) angle ’ was also observed in these patients.Final assessment of our patients after 6 weeks of treatmentwas carried out where lexcellent results were found in(’)J.3%)of Group (I), (63.3%) of Qroup (II) and (53.3%) of Uroup’(III).Good results ,were ob~ in (30%) of Group (II, (23.3%) ofGroup (II) and (30%) of Qroup (Ill). Fair results were reportedin (16.3%) of”i)’oup (I), (13.3%) of Group (II) and (16.7%)ofGroup( Ill) •A significant difference in the change of the c, (SLR) angle, was observed between each group and the other in favourof Group (II).Although the reaults of our study were satisfactory forall the treatment programmes, we decide on the superiorty ofthe therapeutic strategy combining the epidural steroid injectionwith a well conducted flexion exercise programme.