Effectiveness of the rehabilitation program in patients with lumbar osteochondrosis and motor stereotype disorders using shock wave therapy

The study included 80 patients aged 22-44 (31.7±4.4) years with lumbar osteochondrosis with impaired motor stereotype and myotonic reaction of the lumbar-pelvic region muscles. The patients were randomized into two homogeneous groups depending on the physical rehabilitation program: in the main group a combination of shock wave therapy (SWT) with the Masterplus MP200 extracorporeal shock wave therapy device (5 procedures with a frequency of 11 Hz, an impact force of 3.8-4.0 bar, intervals of 5-7 days) with a program of relaxing exercises according to the method of K. Levit was used; in the control group – only exercises program. The developed program of physical rehabilitation proved its effectiveness by a significant decrease in pain intensity indicators (p<0.001) by VAS scale, ODI disability level (p<0.001) and SKT kinesiophobia level (p<0.01), a significant increase in the spine mobility (p<0.05) and the lumbar spine mobility (p<0.05), flexion in the hip joints (p<0.05). The range of movements during extension, adduction and abduction of the hip joints also increased but not significantly. Normalization of the extensor muscle tone of the lumbar spine was observed in 87.5% of cases, the gluteus muscle tone – in 30.0%, and the piriformis muscle tone – in 27.5%. The frequency of registration of error patterns in the active combined movement of the lumbar segments and the pelvis decreased to 37.5% of cases as a whole. The developed program of physical rehabilitation proved to be effective compared with the results of the isolated application of relaxing exercises with a significant improvement by VAS scale (p<0.05), ODI (p<0.05) and SKT (p<0.05); normalization of the tone of the lumbar extensor muscles and the restoration of control of active movements in the lumbar-pelvic region are more often noted in more than a third of patients.