Effects of Primal Reflex Release Technique in Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain

Effects of Primal Reflex Release Technique on Pain, Disability and Flexibility in Patients With Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain

Low back pain is a major disorder which occurs from chronic over use and injury to lumbar musculoskeletal system. Sometimes the source of pain is non-specific leading to pain and spasm due to muscle imbalance. Primal reflex release technique is a novel concept to decrease pain and muscle spasm by resetting reflexes using reciprocal inhibition following the concept of rebooting the Autonomic nervous system. This study aims to determine the effects of primal reflex release technique on pain, flexibility and disability in chronic nonspecific low back pain patients.

This study will be a Randomized Controlled trial and will be conducted at Arif Memorial Hospital in Lahore. A sample size of Total 32 patients will be taken in this study using consecutive sampling technique. Patients will be randomly assigned into two groups.

Group A will be treated by conventional therapy and Group B will be treated by conventional therapy and primal reflex release technique. Numeric Pain Rating Scale and Ronald Morris Disability Questionnaire will be used to evaluate pain and disability respectively. Flexibility of low back, Iliopsoas, hamstring, Piriformis and gastrocnemius will be measured by schober's test, modified Thomas test, Active knee extension test, FAIR test and active dorsiflexion, respectively. The evaluation will be on day 1 as pretreatment values and at 2nd and 4th week as post treatment values respectively. The collected data will be analyzed on SPSS - 25.

Inclusion Criteria:

Age 25-45

• Both males and females
• Lower cross syndrome diagnosed by straight leg raise, modified Thomas test, piriformis stretch test.
• History of LBP for more than 6 weeks before the study, or had on-and-off pain having suffered at least 3 episodes of LBP during the year before the study, each lasting more than a year
• The diagnosis confirmed on the presence of -pain experienced between the costal margins and the inferior gluteal folds which is influenced by physical activities and postures, usually accompanied by painful limitation of motion‖

Exclusion Criteria:

No recent history of injury to lower limb

• No experience with surgical treatments for disc herniation, spina bifida, or spinal stenosis,
• No nerve root compression or no neurological problems.
• SIJ compression test positive