Intervention for the Pregnancy Low Back Pain Study
If you enter into the Portland Oregon study you will be randomized into one of the following three intervention groups.
Exercise
Exercise
has been shown to help pregnant women with their low back pain. If you
are in the exercise group you will be given exercises to do that help
strengthen your back, stomach, and leg muscles. You may also be given
extra exercises if other muscles are weak or short. You will be asked
to write down when you exercise and how long you exercise. We hope you
will exercise for about 15 minutes twice a day.
Spinal Manipulation
Spinal manipulation has been shown to help pregnant women with their low back pain.
Spinal manipulation is a kind of treatment that
helps joints move better and helps nerves function better. If you are in the spinal manipulation group
the movement of the joints in your back will be felt then treated.
If the
joint moves too much it may be stabilized with blocks put in a special
position.
If the
joint moves too little a small push may be given by hand or with a small
instrument called an activator.
Neuroemotional Technique (NET)
Neuroemotional
technique has been shown to help non-pregnant people with their low
back pain; it has not been studied with pregnant women. NET is a kind of mind-body therapy.
Sometimes the symptoms we have are related to thoughts or feelings or
memories. NET attempts to determine if the low back pain you have may
be related in part to your emotions by using muscle testing and a
series of reflexes and questions. If there is an emotional component to
the pain, a related memory is identified. While you think of the memory
you touch two specific points on your body while your back is adjusted
with the activator at specific levels.
OHSU IRB#5033, PI W. Thomas Gregory, MD
