The relative effectiveness of muscle energy technique as opposed to specific passive mobilization in the treatment of acute and sub-acute mechanical low back pain

Abstract

It has generally been accepted that 60 to 80% of the general population will suffer from low back pain at some point in their life. (Kirkaldy - Willis, 1992). The use of manipulation for the treatment of low back pain is well documented but lumbar mobilization has undergone comparatively little investigation (Goodsell et al., 2000). Furthermore, there remains little evidence to advocate the use of Muscle Energy Technique (MET) in the form of a randomized clinical trial (Wilson, 2003). The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients with acute and sub-acute low back pain would demonstrate a reduction in disability after being treated with MET or specific passive mobilization. Both interventions are joint mobilization techniques the only difference being that one is passive and the other (MET), is an active technique