NCT06987656

Physiotherapy in Emergency Department for Acute Lumbar Spasm

The Role of Physiotherapy in the Management of Acute Lumbar Spasm in Emergency Departments: A Retrospective Observational Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 150 (actual)
• Sponsor: Duzce University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This retrospective observational study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions-such as manual therapy, electrotherapy (TENS), and individualized exercise programs-in managing acute lumbar spasm in patients presenting to the emergency department. By analyzing medical records from January to June 2024 at Düzce University Faculty of Medicine, the study will compare outcomes between patients receiving only pharmacological treatment and those receiving additional physiotherapy. Primary outcomes include changes in pain levels (measured by Visual Analog Scale), medication usage, patient satisfaction, and re-admission rates within an 8-week follow-up period. The findings aim to inform the integration of physiotherapy into emergency care protocols for acute lumbar spasm.

Detailed description

This retrospective observational study investigates the role of physiotherapy in managing acute lumbar spasm in emergency department settings. The study will review medical records of 100 patients aged 18 to 65 who presented to Düzce University Faculty of Medicine Emergency Department between January and June 2024 with non-specific acute low back spasm. Patients will be divided into two groups based on documented treatment: (1) those receiving pharmacological treatment only, and (2) those receiving both pharmacological and physiotherapy interventions. Physiotherapy interventions include spinal mobilization, myofascial release, TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), and individualized exercise protocols. Primary outcomes include changes in pain intensity (measured by Visual Analog Scale), medication consumption, re-admission rates within 8 weeks, and overall patient satisfaction. The study also incorporates a cost analysis based on national reimbursement tariffs (SUT) to evaluate the financial impact of integrating physiotherapy into emergency care. This study does not involve any direct intervention, and data are collected exclusively from existing electronic health records. Ethical approval has been obtained. The findings are expected to guide future protocols involving the integration of physiotherapy into emergency departments in Turkey.

Conditions

• Acute Low Back Pain
• Musculoskeletal Pain
• Emergency Care

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Standard Pharmacologic Treatment	Standard pharmacologic management including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), muscle relaxants (e.g., thiocolchicoside), and analgesics (e.g., paracetamol, tramadol) for acute lumbar spasm.
OTHER	Physiotherapy Intervention	Physiotherapy interventions included spinal mobilization (Maitland techniques), myofascial release, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and personalized exercise programs, as documented in patient medical records.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-01-01
• Primary completion: 2025-06-01
• Completion: 2025-07-01
• First posted: 2025-05-23
• Last updated: 2025-09-08

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)