Immediate effects of muscle energy technique and stabilization exercise in patients with chronic low back pain with suspected facet joint origin: A pilot study.
Wahyuddin Wahyuddin, Mantana Vongsirinavarat, Keerin Mekhora and 2 others
PMID 33005075WHAT IT FOUND
One session of muscle energy technique was no better than stabilization exercise for pain, disability, or movement in chronic low back pain.
Both groups had similar pain relief, but neither treatment showed a clear advantage over the other.
Key findings
01There were no significant differences between the muscle energy technique and stabilization exercise groups for any movement, pain, or disability outcome.
02Pain decreased significantly over time in both groups, with mean reductions of 20.5 mm and 26.8 mm for muscle energy technique, and 17.8 mm and 21.6 mm for stabilization exercise at immediate and 2-day follow-up respectively.
03Disability scores improved in both groups but the changes did not reach the threshold for clinical importance.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study was underpowered, with only 21 participants analyzed, which limits the ability to detect true differences between treatments. The diagnosis of facet joint origin was based on clinical criteria rather than definitive imaging or diagnostic blocks, so some patients may not have had pain from this source. The follow-up period was only two days, so it is unclear if the effects last longer. The sample size was smaller than the 18 per group required by the power calculation, reducing certainty. The disability improvements did not meet the threshold for clinical importance, so the functional benefit of a single session is questionable.
Declared interests
The paper does not report funding sources or conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that muscle energy technique is ineffective. The study only tested a single session and found no difference between two active treatments. It does not prove that one session is enough to change pain long-term, nor does it rule out benefits from multiple sessions.