The efficacy, safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of ultrasound and shock wave therapies for low back pain: a systematic review

Seco, Jesús; Kovacs, Francisco M.; Urrutia, Gerard

doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2011.02.002

« Previous Next »The Spine Journal
Volume 11, Issue 10 , Pages 966-977, October 2011

The efficacy, safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of ultrasound and shock wave therapies for low back pain: a systematic review

Jesús Seco, MD, PhD
- Department of Nursing and Physical Therapy, Institute of Biomedicine (IBIOMED), University of León, Ponferrada, Spain
- Spanish Back Pain Research Network, Paseo Mallorca 36, 07012 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Francisco M. Kovacs, MD, PhD
- Spanish Back Pain Research Network, Paseo Mallorca 36, 07012 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- Scientific Department, Fundación Kovacs, Palma de Mallorca, Paseo Mallorca 36, 07012 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- Corresponding author. Departamento Científico, Fundación Kovacs, Paseo Mallorca 36, 07012 Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Tel.: (34) 971-720809; fax: (34) 971-720774.
Gerard Urrutia, MD
- Spanish Back Pain Research Network, Paseo Mallorca 36, 07012 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- Iberoamerican Cochrane Center-Servei d’Epidemiologia Clínica i Salut Pública, Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau, Hospital de Sant Pau, C/ Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain

Received 3 September 2010; received in revised form 12 December 2010; accepted 7 February 2011. published online 11 April 2011.

Abstract

Background context

Shock wave and especially ultrasound are commonly used to treat low back pain (LBP) in routine practice.

Purpose

To assess the evidence on the efficacy, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and safety of ultrasound and shock wave to treat LBP.

Study design

Systematic review.

Methods

An electronic search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases up to July 2009 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing vibrotherapy with placebo or with other treatments for LBP. No language restrictions were applied. Additional data were requested from the authors of the original studies. The risk of bias of each study was assessed following the criteria recommended by the Cochrane Back Review Group.

Results

Thirteen studies were identified. The four RCTs complying with the inclusion criteria included 252 patients. Two of the three RCTs on ultrasound had a high risk of bias. For acute patients with LBP and leg pain attributed to disc herniation, ultrasound, traction, and low-power laser obtained similar results. For chronic LBP patients without leg pain, ultrasound was less effective than spinal manipulation, whereas a shock wave device and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation led to similar results. Results from the only study comparing ultrasound versus a sham procedure are unreliable because of the inappropriateness of the sham procedure, low sample size, and lack of adjustment for potential confounders. No study assessed cost-effectiveness. No adverse events were reported.

Conclusion

The available evidence does not support the effectiveness of ultrasound or shock wave for treating LBP. High-quality RCTs are needed to assess their efficacy versus appropriate sham procedures, and their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness versus other procedures shown to be effective for LBP. In the absence of such evidence, the clinical use of these forms of treatment is not justified and should be discouraged.

Keywords: Low back pain, Ultrasound, Vibrotherapy, Shock wave, Systematic review, Effectiveness