Effectiveness of ketoprofen phonophoresis in the management of chronic low back pain

Authors

Ahlam Hassan EL-khushaibi Lecturer of pharmacology at physiotherapy department, Faculty of Medical Technology, Tripoli University, Libya
Rema Bahlul AL-Zwawi University of Tripoli, Faculty of Medical Technology, Physiotherapy Department
Shahed Ali Krista University of Tripoli, Faculty of Medical Technology, Physiotherapy Department

Keywords:

Ultrasound, Infrared, Chronic nonspecific low back pain, Phonophoresis, Exercise, VAS, ODQ, ketoprofen

Abstract

Low back pain is considered as the most common musculoskeletal disorder among Libyans and most countries of the world. Treatment of low back pain depends mainly on eliminating the patient’s pain and restoring the normal function of patient's low back. Phonophoresis is one of the widely techniques used in physiotherapy protocols for managing

Low back pain. However, determining the appropriate dose of topical medications that must be added to the phonophoresis technique is still under study. In this practical study, ketoprofen phonophoresis was added to the treatment protocol to evaluate its effectiveness on pain intensity and function disability in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain.

This study conducted on a random sample of 12 patients with chronic low back pain who were receiving treatment in physiotherapy department at Tripoli Medical Hospital and Zakary Clinic. The patients were classified in two groups with the same patients' number, experimental and control group. Both groups received the same physiotherapy protocol consists of infrared therapy, therapeutic ultrasound, stretching and strengthening exercises.The experimental group placed on ultrasound phonophoresis therapy with ketoprofen, instead of Aqua sonic gel in control group.The outcome measures used to determine the change in pain intensity and a patient's permanent functional disability pre and post- treatment protocol were (VAS) and (ODQ).

The results of the study showed a significant improvement in the treatment plan provided to patients with the use of ketoprofen phonophoresis by 82% for VAS and approximately by 19% for ODQ compared to control group.

Finally, it could be concluded that treatment protocol with specific doses of ketoprofen ultrasound phonophoresis, can reduce pain intensity and restore the normal functional activity of chronic low back pain patient.