Effect of Muscle Energy Techniques on Functional Abilities in Patients With Discogenic Unilateral Sciatica

Disability and emotional distress among patients with lumbar spondylosis has a negative impact on well-being. Anxiety and depression are common emotional problems among patients with LBP.

The experience of pain interferes with different aspects of the patient's life, negatively affecting their daily activities, physical and mental health, family and social relationships, and their interactions in the workplace.

This problem also affects the health care system and what is known as economic well-being, the strong burden associated with Chronic Pain not only deriving from healthcare costs but also from the loss of productivity and from compensatory payments to patients as a result of the disability that pain produces.

Movement research has vast implications for muscle energy techniques for individuals with chronic low back pain and sciatica, the thoracolumbar normal range of motion plays an essential role in transferring the body weight and performing daily activities. Poor spinal range of motion and tightness of paraspinal muscles have previously been noted in individuals with chronic low back pain and sciatica.

Most of the previous studies focused on dealing with chronic low back pain and sciatica through using different medications and physical therapy modalities for the symptoms such as TENS. Since muscle energy techniques can decrease the tension of the muscles of the lumbar spine and gives a real chance to improve the flexibility of those muscles which might inhibit the severity of sciatica with low costs so it's recommended to study its effect on the functional abilities of the patients so that it can be the main part of physical therapy rehabilitation protocol.