Evaluation of interferential current adaptation in bipolar and tetrapolar forms in women with chronic non-specific low back pain: cross-over clinical trial

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The interferential current is a widely used modality; however, it presents as a limiting factor the amount of accommodation, which is common in electrostimulation. Despite having some resources that aim to reduce physiological adaptation, it is not fully effective in this sense, but there may be differences due to the technique of use. Thus, the present study aimed to analyze whether there are differences in the accommodation for bi- or tetrapolar forms in individuals with chronic nonspecific low back pain. METHODS: crossover clinical study, consisting of 15 volunteers with chronic nonspecific low back pain, who received bipolar or tetrapolar therapy in subsequent weeks. They were explained about the current accommodation and that they should be told when it occurred, and in this way, the number of times that the phenomenon occurred, the time needed until the first accommodation occurred, the initial intensity of the current used, and how much it increased after the first accommodation were computed. RESULTS: None of the variables analyzed had a significant difference between the two techniques (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: the techniques analyzed showed no differences in accommodation in young women with nonspecific low back pain.