Effect of sensorimotor training on pain and disability in physiotherapy students with non specific low back pain

Low back pain (LBP) is a common and costly problem, often associated with high recurrence rate and equivocal management efficacy. Low back pain remains the primary cause of absenteeism and disability in every industrialized society.1 About 80% of the population experiences low back pain more than once throughout their lives. Those experiencing acute low back pain, 90% recover within two months, but chronic low back pain triggers physical atrophy and psychological problems. Low back pain sustained for more than 12 weeks is called chronic low back pain (CLBP).2 Jin AH Hwang concluded that sensory motor training makes patients capable of learning how to adjust muscles, thereby alleviating pain and improving muscle performance. 2 Literature regarding impact of Sensory motor training in patients with LBP was less so the present study aims to analyses its impact and examine whether it should be considered as a treatment option for LBP. It was hypothesized that Sensory Motor Training will be equally or more effective than traditionally used core stability exercises in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain. An experimental study was conducted on total of 28 subjects who were enrolled from Dolphin PG institute of biomedical and natural sciences in dehradun on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. This study was approved by ethical committee of Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Dehradun. Subjects were divided into 2 groups after informed consent was informed. Group A (Sensory Motor Training n=13), and Group B (Core Stability Exercises n=15). Pre intervention readings of pain using Numeric Rating Scale and disability using Oswestry Disability Questionnaire were carried out for each patient. For both the group interventions was given five times in a week for 4 weeks. Post intervention reading was calculated in the same manner as pre intervention after the end of 4 weeks. This study depicted that both Sensory motor training and Core Stability exercises are equally effective in reducing Pain and Disability in subject with Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain. However Sensory motor training was found to be better impact when means were considered. So we could conclude that SMT is indeed a choice of treatment for patients with CNSLBP.