Comparative Effect of Core Muscle Strengthening and Neural Tissue Mobilization With Conventional Back Care Exercises on Pain, Disability, and Straight Leg Raise Range of Motion in Patients With Low Back Pain With Sciatica: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Background: Low back pain with sciatica is associated with pain, disability, and restricted straight leg raise range of motion. Core muscle strengthening and neural tissue mobilization are commonly used physiotherapy approaches for managing these problems.

Objective: To compare the effects of core muscle strengthening exercises with neural tissue mobilization combined with conventional back care exercises on pain, disability, and straight leg raise range of motion in patients with low back pain with sciatica.

Methods: Eighty individuals with sciatica and low back pain were enrolled, and they were split into two equal groups of forty people each at random. While Group B got neural tissue mobilization along with traditional back care exercises, Group A received activities that strengthened their core muscles. Outcome assessments were taken at baseline, the end of the third week, and the end of the sixth week. Treatment was administered for six weeks on alternate days. The Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and a goniometer were used to measure pain intensity, disability, and straight leg raise range of motion (SROM). The two-sample t-test, which assumes equal variances, is used throughout the paper to report between-group comparisons.

Results: At baseline, no significant between-group differences were observed for NPRS, ODI, or SROM. At the 3rd week, significant between-group differences were observed for NPRS (p=0.003509), ODI (p=0.037114), and SROM (p=0.000057). At the 6th week, significant differences were observed for NPRS (Group A 2.10; Group B 1.65; p=0.012994), ODI (Group A 23.20; Group B 19.85; p=0.000019), and SROM (Group A 55.50; Group B 68.625; p<0.001), favoring Group B.

Conclusion: Both therapies were beneficial over 6 weeks; however, neural tissue mobilization combined with standard back care exercises revealed higher improvement than core muscle strengthening in pain, disability, and straight leg raise range of motion in the reported intergroup analysis.