Therapeutic efficacy of traditional Chinese exercises and massage treatment on lumbar instability: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of traditional Chinese exercises combined with traditional Chinese massage on lumbar instability. METHODS Seventy patients with lumbar instability were randomly divided into experimental group and control group. The experimental group was treated with traditional Chinese exercises combined with traditional Chinese massage, while the control group was only treated with traditional Chinese exercises. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and dynamic imaging indexes were used to assess treatment outcomes. RESULTS After 8 weeks of treatment, the JOA scores of both groups were significantly higher than those before treatment (P < 0.05), while ODI was significantly lower (P < 0.05). In addition, compared with the control group, the JOA score of the experimental group was significantly increased (P < 0.05), and the ODI was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Besides, the dynamic imaging indexes of patients with lumbar instability significantly changed after treatment. The lumbar vertebral laxity was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) than those before treatment. CONCLUSION The traditional Chinese exercises and massage may improve the symptoms of lumbar instability, and traditional Chinese exercises combined with massage treatment may be better than exercises alone.