Riassunto dello studio

Forty patients with chronic non-specific lower back pain were randomized to receive either active automated thermo-mechanical therapy (ATT) or sham ATT. The primary outcome of interest was pain intensity measured using a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS-P100). Secondary outcomes included pain characteristics (McGill Pain Questionnaire), anxiety (STAI), subjective pain relief, and lumbar flexibility measured using the Modified-Modified Schober Test (MMST). Outcomes were assessed immediately before and after a single 40-minute intervention session. Overall, the results of the study revealed that the active ATT group experienced significantly greater reductions in pain compared to the control group, along with improvements in lumbar flexibility. These findings suggest that ATT can provide immediate, clinically meaningful pain relief in individuals with chronic low back pain.