Combination of traditional Chinese bone setting and NMES technique for treating lumbar disc herniation: a case report.
Yimei Bao, ZhiJin Wang
PMID 39713264WHAT IT FOUND
A 33-year-old office worker with lumbar disc herniation received a package of bone setting, electrical stimulation, stretching, strengthening and massage, followed by pain score 6 to 0 and better bending.
This single case is not proof the combination works.
Key findings
01In the before and after table, the patient's VAS pain score changed from 6 to 0 points, and forward bending changed from 45 to 80 degrees.
02The report says that after three treatments, lumbar tenderness and muscle spasms were absent and flexion, extension and lateral bending were restored.
03At one-year follow-up, the patient reported no recurrence of low back pain and a quick return to daily life and work.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only a single patient was described, so the report cannot show whether the combined treatment changed outcomes compared with the patient's earlier fluctuating course. No control group, randomisation or blinding was used. Bone setting, electrical stimulation, stretching, strengthening and massage were given together, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated. The patient had already received medication, massage, physical therapy, bed rest and lumbar support, and the report does not make clear whether any of these continued alongside the combined treatment. The report lists possible skin discomfort, allergic reactions, muscle soreness, nerve damage or spinal misalignment, but it does not report whether any occurred. The one-year follow-up is based on the patient's report and a summary table, not a blinded comparison. The authors call the treatment plan a high success rate, but that is a discussion claim, not a measured outcome.
Declared interests
The authors declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship or publication.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that bone setting or electrical stimulation caused the improvement. Bone setting, electrical stimulation, stretching, strengthening and massage were given together, only a single patient was followed, and no comparison group was used. The one-year report is a case description, not evidence of efficacy.