Comparison of the effects of Tuina massage and kinesitherapy on lumbar mobility, pain, and functional status in patients with lumbosacral pain

Lumbosacral pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions that negatively affect lumbar
mobility and functional capacity. It is among the leading causes of reduced work ability and disability worldwide. It
is estimated that over 70% of the adult population experiences at least one episode of lower back pain. Traditional Chinese Medicine, particularly Tuina massage, acupressure, and kinesitherapy, are commonly used in the treatment
of lumbosacral pain, but their comparative effectiveness remains insufficiently explored.
To compare the effects of Tuina massage and kinesitherapy on lumbar mobility, pain intensity, and functional status
in patients with chronic lumbosacral pain.
A prospective comparative study was conducted with 20 participants (10 men and 10 women) aged 25 to 55 years,
all with chronic lumbosacral pain. They were randomly assigned into two groups: a Tuina massage group (n=10)
and a kinesitherapy group (n=10). Each participant was assessed at three time points: before the start of treatment,
mid-treatment (after 3 Tuina sessions or 2 weeks of exercise), and after completion of treatment (after 6 Tuina
sessions or 4 weeks of exercise). The following parameters were monitored: lumbar flexion, lumbar extension,
lateral flexion (left/right), numeric rating scale for pain (NRS), and functional tests SLR and aSLR.
Both groups had a gender ratio of 1:1. The mean age of group 1 was 39.6±9.01, and the mean age of group 2 was
38.1±5.04. Both groups showed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.001) in all parameters over time. The
most notable effects were observed in pain reduction (η² = 0.75), SLR/aSLR improvements (η² = 0.65), and
increased values for lumbar flexion (η² = 0.38). The Tuina massage group achieved greater pain reduction (NRS
−4.1 vs. −3.3 for the kinesitherapy group), as well as greater improvements in AROM and functional tests. Mixed
ANOVA analysis showed a significant interaction effect (time × group), indicating that the progress varied between
the groups depending on the treatment, especially in terms of pain reduction and improved flexion (p < 0.05), in
favor of Tuina massage.
Both Tuina massage and kinesitherapy are effective treatments for improving mobility, reducing pain, and
enhancing functional status in patients with lumbosacral pain. However, Tuina massage led to faster and greater
improvements in all parameters. Although the differences between treatments were statistically significant, the effect sizes (η²) were moderate, suggesting the need for further long-term studies with larger samples to confirm these results and potentially develop optimal clinical guidelines.