Research Paper on Disc Protrusion

Click here to read the full research paper from the Journal of Riphah Collage of Rehabilitation  

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Conservative management of spine problems is safe and secure as compared to surgery. In physical therapy, different exercise protocols are designed to solve multiple spine problems. Most of the time the fascia restriction makes the patient condition verse. Guy Voyer introduce the systems of exercise more than 35 years ago which works especially on spine at every intervertebral level including costal and pelvic articulation. These exercises are called Elongation Longitudinaux avec Decoaption Osteo-Articulaire (ELDOA) or simply Longitudinal Osteo-Articular De-coaptation Stretching (LOADS).

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of the study was to determine the effectiveness of Facia Stretching in patients with disc protrusion.

METHODOLOGY:

This is a Quasi Experimental study. This study was conducted in Department of physical therapy and rehabilitation centre Pakistan railway hospital Rawalpindi from July 2014 to December 2014. Through convenient sampling, 14 patients who had to establish a diagnosis of Spine disc protrusion with no history of trauma were recruited in this study. The sampling techniques was Convenient Sampling initially 14 patients recruit for this study those had to establish a diagnosis of disc protrusion on MRI and non-traumatic disc protrusion patient, but only 12 follow the complete session. The rehabilitation program includes the application of hot packs and teaching of ELDOA exercise. Baseline evaluation of demographic, symptomatology and comorbidities were taken. Self-reported questionnaire functional disability index (FDI) were filled on 1st and 4th visit to compare the disability index.

RESULTS:

The mean age of the participants was 53.25 + 7.10 with male-female ratio 3:1. The most common spinal segment was cervical disc protrusion C5-C6 (25%) and L4-L5 (33.33%) in lumbar disc protrusion. The pretreatment intensity of pain (FRI) was 2.58 ± 1.165 and post-treatment intensity of pain was 0.92 ± 0.793, it shows the significant difference (P < 0.001). The frequency of pain also shows the significant difference. FRI score on 1st evaluation was 21.42 ± 9.307 and after ELDOA Exercise on 4th assessment, the mean score was 7.92 ± 5.583, also shows statistically significant (P < 0.001) difference.

CONCLUSION:

The ELDOA exercises improve the pain and functional level in the spinal disc protrusion patients.

KEY WORDS:

Disc Protrusion, ELDOA, LOADS, Spinal Fascia