The effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on pain, disability, and depression of chronic low back pain patients

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on pain, disability, and depression of chronic low back pain patients. [Subjects] In this study, 30 chronic low back pain patients were divided into an extracorporeal shock wave therapy group (ESWTG, n=15) and a conservative physical therapy group (CPTG, n=15). [Methods] The ESWTG received extracorporeal shock wave therapy and the CPTG received general conservative physical therapy two times per week for six weeks. Pain was measured using a visual analog scale (VAS), the degree of disability of the patients was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and their degree of depression was measured using the Beck depression index (BDI). [Results] In intra-group comparisons, ESWTG and CPTG showed significant decreases in VAS, ODI, and BDI scores. Intergroup comparisons revealed that these decreases in VAS, ODI, and BDI scores were significantly larger in ESWTG than in CPTG. [Conclusion] Extracorporeal shock wave therapy is an effective intervention for the treatment of pain, disability, and depression in chronic low back pain patients.