Riassunto dello studio

Two hundred and four patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain were randomized to receive Tuina (TN) (n=68), physiotherapy (PT) (n=68), or a combination of Tuina and physiotherapy (TP) (n=68). The primary outcome of interest was the change in Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores for pain. Secondary outcomes included the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Range of Motion (ROM) of the spine, Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Scale (TCMSS), and adverse events (AE). Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 9 weeks (post-treatment), and 20 weeks (follow-up). Overall, the results of the study revealed that all treatment groups showed significant reductions in VAS scores post-treatment and at follow-up. Secondary outcomes, particularly ODI and TCMSS scores, also improved significantly, but no significant differences were found between treatment groups. The findings suggest that Tuina, physiotherapy, and their combination are all effective treatments for CNLBP, providing clinicians with viable options, especially for patients unable to engage in active exercises.