Effectiveness of Electrotherapy Techniques to Treat Low Back Pain

The group with sham transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) did not receive any electrical treatment. We placed 4 surface electrodes (5x5 cm Prim-Trode, Spain) over the L1 and L5 transverse processes with respect to the spine but we did not delivery any current. The patients were informed that they may or may not feel any sensation at the application site of the electrodes.

The group with transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) received electrical stimulation for 12 sessions at a frequency of 80 Hz and with a pulse width of 150 ns. The TENS was delivered by using 4 surface electrodes (5x5 cm Prim-Trode, Spain) placed over the L1 and L5 transverse processes with respect to the spine. The current intensity was set 3 times during each session according to each patient's sensitivity.

The group with IC received a base frequency of 4000 Hz with AMF = 65 Hz, sweep = 95 Hz and slope of 1/1 in tetrapolar mode (Endomed 492 Enraf-nonius, Netherlands). The current was applied by using 4 surface electrodes (5x5 cm Prim-Trode, Spain) into two channels: were symmetrically placed over the L1 and L5 transverse processes with respect to the spine; the current intensity was set 3 times during each session according to each patient's sensitivity.