The Impact of Electric Lumbar Traction on Postural Balance and Gait speed in Elderly with Lumbar pathology: An Experimental study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46858/VIMSJPT.71003Keywords:
Electric lumbar traction, postural balance, elderly, Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go test, fall prevention.Abstract
Background: As the global population ages, maintaining postural balance in the elderly becomes crucial to prevent falls and related injuries. This study investigates the impact of electric lumbar traction on postural balance and gait speed in elderly patients with lumbar pathologies.
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of electric lumbar traction in improving postural stability, as measured by the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, in elderly individuals at risk of falls.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 55 elderly participants with lumbar pathologies and self-reported balance issues. Participants underwent electric lumbar traction therapy three times weekly for four weeks. Outcome measures (BBS and TUG) were collected at baseline and post-intervention to assess changes in postural balance and functional mobility. Paired t-tests were used to analyze pre- and post-intervention differences, and effect sizes were calculated to gauge the intervention's impact.
Results: The intervention led to statistically significant improvements in BBS scores (Pre: 36.93±2.77; Post: 44.47±2.62, p < 0.001) and TUG times (Pre: 16.03±1.52 seconds; Post: 13.69±0.99 seconds, p < 0.001), with large effect sizes for both BBS (Cohen's d = 2.79) and TUG (Cohen's d = 1.82). These findings suggest notable improvements in both balance and mobility.
Conclusion: Electric lumbar traction therapy significantly improved postural stability and mobility in elderly patients with lumbar pathologies. This non-invasive intervention could potentially reduce fall risk and enhance functional independence among elderly patients. Further research with larger samples and control groups is recommended to confirm these findings and optimize intervention protocols.
References
World Health Organization. (2021). Ageilth.
Lord, S. R., et al. (2016). Falls in older people: Risk factors and strategies for prevention.
Shumway-Cook, A., & Woollacott, M. (2017). Motor control: Translating research into clinical practice.
Fritz, J. M., et al. (2018). Traction for low back pain with sciatica: A systematic review.
Gomez, A., & Clark, B. C. (2020). The use of traction for musculoskeletal conditions.
Horak, F. B. (2006). Postural orientation and equilibrium: What do we need to know about neural control of balance to prevent falls?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Falls are leading cause of injury and death in older Americans.
Sato, K., et al. (2019). Mechanical traction and its role in balance improvement.
Smeets, R. J., et al. (2009). The relationship between pain reduction and functional improvement in rehabilitation.
Gudavalli, M. R., et al. (2006). Biomechanical and neurophysiological effects of lumbar traction.
Gomez, A., & Clark, B. C. (2020). The use of traction for musculoskeletal conditions.
Smith, T. O., et al. (2017). Lumbar traction for patients with musculoskeletal conditions: Mechanisms and outcomes.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Thakkar Kruti
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
