"Effectiveness of continuous vertebral resonant oscillation using the POLD method in the treatment of lumbar disc hernia". A randomized controlled pilot study

Abstract

This study analyses the efficacy of manual oscillatory therapy, following the POLD technique, for acute Lumbar Disc Hernia (LDH) and compares it to usual treatment. A randomised, controlled, triple-blind pilot clinical trial. The sample of 30 patients was divided into two homogeneous groups to receive usual treatment (A) or treatment with the POLD technique (B). We analysed range of motion and subjective variables such as the severity (visual analogue pain scale (VAS)) and extension of the pain. With the application of POLD therapy, patients presented significant changes on range of motion (forward flexion with p < 0.05) at completion of the trial in comparison with the control group. They showed a significant reduction in the severity of pain with a mean VAS scale for lumbar, glutaeus and thigh pain, which improved from 5.09 to 0.79, 5.07 to 0.97 and 4.43 to 0.49 respectively (p < 0.05), and also when compared to usual treatment (p < 0.05) for all body regions. Moreover, we observed a reduction in pain extension (centralization phenomena) (p < 0.001) in comparison with usual treatment. In our study the POLD Method was shown to be an effective manual therapy approach for reducing the severity and irradiation of the pain in LDH patients with sciatica, and more efficient than usual treatment.

Keywords: Lumbar disc hernia; Manual therapy; POLD; Resonant oscillation.