Combined Application of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy,Core Stability Exercise,and Anti-Inflammatory Drug Therapy in the Management of Chronic Low Back Pain: A Clinical Study

Abstract

Background

Chronic back pain is a common adult musculoskeletal disorder globally, causing lumbar dysfunction, sleep issues, and psychological anxiety. Yet current single-treatment plans have many limitations.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave-based combined therapy for chronic back pain, analyze its impact on pain and lumbar function, and provide clinical evidence for multimodal treatment.

Method

This retrospective controlled study (September 2023–September 2025) enrolled 200 chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients from the Hospital, divided into two groups (n = 100 each). The combined group received extracorporeal shock wave + core stability training + anti-inflammatory drugs, whereas the control group received exercise + anti-inflammatory drugs. The main indicators include Visual Analog Scale (VAS) (pain) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) (lumbar function), and the secondary indicators include Short Form 36 (SF-36) (quality of life), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) (posture control), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) (anxiety and sleep), serum IL-6, and TNF-α. Data were collected pretreatment and 4 and 12 weeks posttreatment, and a 12-week recurrence rate was recorded.

Result

No significant variations were observed in the baseline data of the two patient groups (P > 0.05). Following 4 and 12 weeks of treatment, two key differences emerged: First, the combined group had significantly lower values in VAS/ODI/HADS/PSQI scores and serum inflammatory factors (IL-6, TNF-α) than those of the control group (P < 0.05); second, the combined group's SF-36 and BBS scores were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, after 12 weeks of follow-up, the pain recurrence rate in the combined therapy group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The combination of extracorporeal shock wave therapy, core stability training, and anti-inflammatory drugs significantly alleviates pain, improves lumbar function/quality of life, reduces inflammation, and lowers long-term pain recurrence in CLBP treatment.