TERAPI AKUATIK TERHADAP PENDERITA NYERI PUNGGUNG BAWAH / LOW BACK PAINT

Abstract

Abstract
Introduction: Low back pain (LBP) is defined as pain felt in the area between the lower ribs and the gluteal fold, with or without radiation to the lower limbs. Various methods for managing LBP have been developed, including massage, flexibility exercises, stability training, and hydrotherapy. Active therapy is generally aimed at preventing muscle weakness and atrophy. One of the active approaches used is aquatic therapy. This therapy is designed to improve balance, reduce pain, and provide comfort in movement due to the buoyant properties of water that support the body. This study aims to determine the effect of aquatic therapy on the reduction of low back pain. Methods: The research design used was a One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design. The study subjects were residents of Mulyosari Utara Subdistrict aged over 50 years who experienced LBP complaints. The intervention consisted of aquatic therapy conducted twice a week for four weeks (a total of eight sessions), involving activities such as walking forward, backward, and sideways in a swimming pool for 30–60 minutes. Data were first analyzed using a normality test, followed by a paired t-test for pain data with a normal distribution, and a Wilcoxon test for disability data (ODI) with a non-normal distribution. Results: The paired t-test showed a significance value of 0.010, and the Wilcoxon test yielded a value of 0.016 (p<0.05), indicating a significant difference before and after the intervention. The average pain score decreased by 2.14 points, based on both the Modified Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire and the Pain and Distress Scale. Conclusion: Aquatic therapy was found to have a significant effect in reducing the level of low back pain among elderly respondents.

Keywords: Low back pain, aquatic therapy, elderly, pain scale, functional disability