Cochrane · systematic review · CD009169
Therapeutic ultrasound for chronic low back pain
Ebadi, S, Henschke, N, Forogh, B, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2020 · Cochrane Library
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
14
current version
GRADE rated
9
No studies
5
Included studies
NR
No studies 5 · 35.7%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 4 · 28.6%Low 3 · 21.4%Moderate 2 · 14.3%High 0 · 0%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Questions and results
Current version onlyTherapeutic ultrasound versus placebo
Population: adults with chronic low back pain
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Pain intensity Scale: VAS (100‐point scale; higher scores mean increased pain) Therapeutic ultrasound vs placebo | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 121 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Pain intensity Scale: VAS (number of responders at 30% reduction of pain) Therapeutic ultrasound vs placebo | RR 1.08 [0.81, 1.44] | 1 study · 225 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Back‐specific functional status Scale: Functional Rating Index, Roland‐Morris Disability Questionnaire, or Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (higher scores mean worse function) Therapeutic ultrasound vs placebo | no estimate extracted | 4 studies · 325 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Overall improvement or satisfaction Therapeutic ultrasound vs placebo | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 486 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Well‐being Scale: general health subscale of SF‐36 (higher scores mean worse well‐being) Therapeutic ultrasound vs placebo | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 267 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Disability Therapeutic ultrasound vs placebo | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Adverse events Therapeutic ultrasound vs placebo | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 225 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Therapeutic ultrasound plus exercise versus exercise alone
Population: adults with chronic low back pain
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Pain intensity Scale: VAS (100‐point scale; higher scores mean increased pain) Therapeutic ultrasound plus exercise vs exercise alone | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 70 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Pain intensity Scale: VAS (number of responders at 30% reduction of pain) Therapeutic ultrasound plus exercise vs exercise alone | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Back‐specific functional status Scale: Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (higher scores mean worse function) Therapeutic ultrasound plus exercise vs exercise alone | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 79 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Overall improvement or satisfaction Therapeutic ultrasound plus exercise vs exercise alone | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Well‐being Scale: general health subscale of SF‐36 (higher scores mean worse well‐being) Therapeutic ultrasound plus exercise vs exercise alone | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 79 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Disability Therapeutic ultrasound plus exercise vs exercise alone | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Adverse events Therapeutic ultrasound plus exercise vs exercise alone | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Comparison
Population: Adults with chronic low‐back pain
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Pain intensity Visual analogue scale (100‐point scale); post‐treatment | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 121 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Back‐specific functional status Functional Rating Index or Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (higher scores mean worse function); post‐treatment | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 100 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Flexion ROM post‐treatment Modified Schober method (cm) or fingertip‐to‐floor method (cm); post‐treatment | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 89 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Extension ROM post‐treatment Modified Schober method (cm) or degrees; post‐treatment | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 58 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Comparison
Population: Adults with chronic low‐back pain
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Pain intensity Pain Disability Index (70‐point scale); post‐treatment | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 79 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias |
Back‐specific functional status Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (percentage); post‐treatment | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 79 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias |
Flexion ROM post‐treatment Lumbar Schober method (cm); post‐treatment | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 79 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias |
Extension ROM post‐treatment | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |