Physical therapy for low back pain.

Physical therapy consists of fixation, thermotherapy, traction, and physical training. The symptomatic therapy is effective for some low back pain, including pain due to metastasis by malignant tumors. Fixation with a corset or wide canvas band reduces muscle pain in the low back region as curative therapy, but reduces the pain caused by tumors or inflammation as symptomatic therapy. Thermotherapy is the most popular form of the 4 types of physical therapy used in medical institutions in Japan. Thermotherapy includes deep heat, such as produced by microwaves and superficial heat, such as produced by hot packs and paraffin baths. Traction other than pelvic traction for lumbar intervertebral disc hernia has recently been losing popularity, because of the prolonged hospital stays required. Physical training is expected to be the most effective method of reducing low back pain. Strengthening low back and abdominal muscles after muscle stretch exercises is effective in reducing low back pain because it has a “natural” corsetlike effect that prevents pain.