Influence of physiotherapy and hydrotherapy on depression of patients with lumbar radiculopathy

Aim of this study: evaluate influence of physiotherapy and hydrotherapy on depression of patients with lumbar radiculopathy. Tasks of this study: 1. Evaluate lower back pain intensity before and after physiotherapy; 2. Evaluate strenght of abdominal and lower back muscles, hip flexors and extensors before and after physiotherapy; 3. Evaluate mobility of lumbar spine before and after physiotherapy; 4. Evaluate patients depressiveness and anxiety before and after physiotherapy. The contingent of patients and the methods of this study: in this study participated 22 patients, which have lumbar radiculopathy and depressiveness with anxiety. It was found when patients fill in HAD depression and anxiety scale. This study was performed on February and took 3 weeks. Age of patients were from 39 to 65 years. They were classified into two groups randomly. Each group was made of 11 patients. One group had water gymnastics and another group had physiotherapy at gym. Each patient had 9 procedures, which duration was about 30 – 35 minutes. First of all every patient had primary examination, in which evaluate strenght of abdominal, lower back, hip flexors and extensors muscles, pain intensity of lower back, mobility of lumbar spine and level of depressiveness and anxiety. Results and conclusions: 1. Both groups showed statistically significant differences in the assessment of pain intensity before and after the study (p < 0,05); 2. Strenght of abdominal muscles were statistically significant only in first group, which had physiotherapy exercises in water (p < 0,05). Strenght of the right hip flexors increased and were statistically significant in both groups after the study (p < 0,05). Physiotherapy at gym was effective to restore strenght of left hip extensors. Differences before and after the study were statistically significant (p < 0,05); 3. Mobility of lower back flexion was statistically significant only in the first group, which have physiotherapy exercises in water (p < 0,05); 4. Depressiveness and anxiety decreased in both groups after the study. And their differences were statistically significant (p < 0,05). In both groups anxiety and depressiveness was evaluated separately. In first group decrease of anxiety and depressiveness was statistically significant. In the second group decrease of anxiety was statistically significant but decrease of depressiveness was statistically insignificant