earticle

영어

Purpose: This study attempts to identify the effects of stretching and core exercise using proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on the pain and functional disability index of patients with chronic lower back pain. Methods: A total of 20 patients with chronic lower back pain were randomly divided into either the experimental group (n=10), who received PNF stretching and core exercise, or the control group (n=10), who received conventional physiotherapy. Both interventions were applied three times a week for six weeks. The visible analogue scale (VAS) was measured in order to determine the level of pain, while the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was used to measure the change in the functional disability index. We conducted a paired t-test to compare the within-group change before and after the intervention. To compare the between-group difference, we used an independent t-test. The statistical significance level was set at α=0.05 for all the variables. Results: The experimental group showed a significant within-group change in both the VAS and the ODI (p<0.01). The control group also showed a significant change (p<0.01). A significant difference was observed between the experimental group and the control group with regard to the change in both the VAS and the ODI after the interventions (p<0.01). Conclusion: In this study, the application of stretching and core exercise using PNF for subjects who complain of chronic lower back pain proved effective in reducing both pain and functional disability. We therefore expect that this intervention can be applied in the future as a useful program for patients with chronic lower back pain.