Traditional Chinese Exercise Relieves Chronic Low Back Pain in Middle-Aged and Elderly Patients

Published on October 10, 2022

Like a soothing massage for your achy back, traditional Chinese exercise (TCE) has been found to be effective in reducing chronic low back pain (CLBP) in middle-aged and elderly patients. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examined the clinical efficacy of TCE in treating CLBP and explored the underlying neural mechanisms. By analyzing 11 high-quality RCTs, researchers discovered that TCE significantly decreased pain intensity in patients with CLBP. While secondary outcomes such as quality of life, depression, and sleep quality did not show significant improvements, the primary focus of pain management was successfully addressed. The mechanism behind TCE’s effectiveness involves a combination of meditation and breathing techniques to promote relaxation, posture control to reduce strain on the back muscles, strength and flexibility training to improve overall back health, and regulation of pain-related brain networks. This comprehensive approach provides a holistic solution for individuals suffering from CLBP. The results of this systematic review highlight the potential benefits of TCE and encourage further exploration into its application as a non-pharmaceutical intervention for chronic low back pain.

BackgroundIncreasing lines of evidence indicate that traditional Chinese exercise (TCE) has potential benefits in improving chronic low back pain (CLBP) symptoms. To assess the clinical efficacy of TCE in the treatment of CLBP, we performed a systematic review of existing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of CLBP and summarized the neural mechanisms underlying TCE in the treatment of CLBP.MethodsA systematic search was conducted in four electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and EBSCO from January 1991 to March 2022. The quality of all included RCTs was evaluated by the Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale (PEDro). The primary outcomes included pain severity and pain-related disability.ResultsA total of 11 RCTs with 1,256 middle-aged and elderly patients with CLBP were included. The quality of all 11 included RCTs ranged from moderate to high according to PEDro. Results suggested that TCE could considerably reduce pain intensity in patients with CLBP. Overall, most studies did not find any difference in secondary outcomes (quality of life, depression, and sleep quality).ConclusionThe neurophysiological mechanism of TCE for treating CLBP could be linked to meditation and breathing, posture control, strength and flexibility training, and regulation of pain-related brain networks. Our systematic review showed that TCE appears to be effective in alleviating pain in patients with CLBP.

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