Chinese massage combined with herbal ointment for athletes with nonspecific low back pain: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Non-specific low back pain (NLBP) is an increasing health problem for athletes. This randomized controlled trial was designed to investigate the effects of Chinese massage combined with herbal ointment for NLBP. 110 athletes with NLBP were randomly assigned to experimental group with Chinese massage combined with herbal ointment or control group with simple massage therapy. The primary outcome was pain by Chinese Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (C-SFMPQ). The secondary outcome was local muscle stiffness by Myotonometer. After 4 weeks, the experimental group experienced significant improvements in C-SFMPQ and in local muscle stiffness compared with control group (between-group difference in mean change from baseline, -1.24 points, P = 0.005 in sensory scores; -3.14 points, P < 0.001 in affective scores; -4.39 points, P < 0.001 in total scores; -0.64 points, P = 0.002 in VAS; -1.04 points, P = 0.005 in local muscle stiffness during relaxation state). The difference remained at one month followup, but it was only significant in affective scores (-2.83 points, P < 0.001) at three months followup. No adverse events were observed. These findings suggest that Chinese massage combined with herbal ointment may be a beneficial complementary and alternative therapy for athletes with NLBP.

Figure 1

Screening, randomization, and completion evaluations from the baseline to three months followup, NLBP = nonspecific low back pain.

Figure 2

Mean changes of the primary and secondary outcomes. The means of outcomes are shown for the experimental group (triangles) and the control group (squares). Measurements were obtained at baseline (M1), immediately after the first intervention (M2), immediately after the last intervention (M3), one month (M4), and three months (M5) after the last intervention. The Chinese Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (C-SFMPQ) consists of 15 descriptors (11 sensory; 4 affective) which are rated on an intensity scale (0 to 3), such the C-SFMPQ scores consist of sensory scores, affective scores, and total scores with the higher scores indicating greater pain. Visual analogue scale (VAS, rang 0 to 10) with higher scores indicating greater pain. The local muscle stiffness was tested during a relaxed state (RS) or a maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) by Myotonometer with higher scores indicating lower stiffness.