AbstractBackground and objectives: Low back pain is an extremely human phenomenon, it can occur at any age. The one muscle that is highly active during lumbar flexion, extension and lateral bending is the Quadratus lumborum, it is the over looked muscle and potential source of low back pain. Physical therapist attempts to manage patients with back pain by utilizing a wide variety of interventions including modalities, exercises, manipulation and instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, The purpose of the study is to find the effectiveness of instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, myofascial release on quadratus lumborum the management of pain, disability and lumbar range of motion in mechanical low back pain patients.
Methods: Forty five clinically diagnosed mechanical low back pain subjects were selected for the study and randomly divided in to three groups A, B and C. Group A received instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, group B received myofascial release and group C received conventional physiotherapy for a period of eight consecutive days, each day one session and one session last for fifteen minutes. The treatment techniques are targeted on quadrates lumborum muscle. Low back pain, disability and spinal flexion range of motion were measured by visual analog scale, Roland Morris questionnaire and modified scobers test respectively. The measurements were recorded at zero level and at the end of eight day.
Results: The data’s were analyzed by paired‘t’ test and ANOVA. The results of the present study shows that instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, myofascial release and conventional physiotherapy all these three treatment methods are effective in reducing pain and disability, and improving spinal flexion range of motion among mechanical low back pain subjects. When comparing these three methods there is no significant difference between them on the selected variables.