Pulse Ultrasound and Kneading Massage in Non- Specific Chronic Low Back Pain

For group A, The PUS group received pulse mode of ultrasound (sonoplus 490s), with frequency of 1MHZ and intensity of 1.5w/cm according to Ebadi et al 10). Grey's formula was used to estimate the duration of ultrasound (US) for each patient 21). The average local exposure time was one minute and the effective radiating area of the transducer head was 5 cm2. For a patient with an area of low back pain of 40 cm2, the required total treatment time was: 1 min × (40 cm2/5 cm2) = 8 minutes. US was applied using slow circular movements, with the transducer head placed over the painful paravertebral low back region and Lofnac gel used as coupling medium.

Kneading massage was done with the two hands maintaining a slow circular compression of soft tissues against underlying bone. Pressure was applied as the hands moved proximally, continuously maintaining a contact with the skin, according to Goat22). Lofnac gel was used as a coupling medium for the massage. This was done for an approximately ten and 12 minutes.