EFFECT OF SWIMMING AS A HYDROTHERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC NON-SPECIFIC LOW BACK PAIN - AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY.

Objective: to evaluate the effect of swimming, as a hydrotherapeutic intervention, in subjects with chronic non specific low back pain, in reducing pain, improving range of motion and function within a period of four weeks and analyzing the post therapeutic effect on the same outcome measures following four more weeks of non intervention by performing extensive experimental investigation. Design: experimental study Setting: Hydrotherapy unit of Department of Physiotherapy,SVNIRTAR Participants: 51 subjects suffering from chronic non-specific low back pain Interventions: The exercises employed consisted of walking in water and aquatic aerobics as a warm up regimen of 10 minutes followed by swimming for thirty minutes and then Ai Chi technique of relaxation as a cool down regimen for another 10 minutes. All the subjects participated in the exercise program for 4 weeks. The frequency of performing exercises was five days a week. Outcome Measures: VAS, Modified Schober?s Test, Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale. Results: Statistically significant improvements were detected in all outcome measures compared with baseline, after 4 weeks of intervention. The improvement in physical score was independent of the initial ability in swimming. The post scores taken after 4 weeks of non-intervention noticed a mild change in the statistical values of VAS and Quebec Questionnaire. Conclusions: The results obtained suggested that swimming can be recommended for the treatment of chronic non specific low-back pain as it is useful in not only reducing pain but also improving the range of motion and the function of the individual.