American Journal of Advances in Nursing Research

EFFECTIVENESS OF BACK STRENGTHENING EXERCISES ON LOW BACK PAIN AMONG POST MENOPAUSAL WOMEN IN SELECTED VILLAGE

Sathiya A

back strengthening exercises, low back pain, post menopausal women

A quasi experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of back strengthening exercises on low back pain among post menopausal women in selected area. The quasi experimental pre-test post-test control group design was adopted and the post menopausal women from Ammapet area were chosen for the study. 60 samples were selected by purposive sampling technique. The level of low back pain was assessed by using modified Oswestry low back pain disability questionnaire. Back strengthening exercise was administered for Study group. Post test done on fourth week of the data collection period. The data gathered were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistical method and interpretations were made on the basis of the objectives of the study. During pretest, in Study group none of them had minimal low back pain, 9(30%) had moderate low back pain, 16(53.33%) had severe low back pain, 5(16.66%) had crippled low back pain and none of them had bed bound. In Control group, none of them had minimal low back pain, 10 (33.33%) had moderate low back pain, 17(56.66%) had severe low back pain 3(10%) with crippled low back pain, none of them with bedbound. During post test, in Study group 19(63.33%) had minimal low back pain, 7(23.33%) had moderate low back pain, 2(6.66%) had severe low back pain and 26.66%) had crippled low back pain. In Control group, none of them had minimal low back pain, 10(33.33%) had moderate low back pain, 17(56.66%) with severe low back pain, and 3(10%) crippled low back pain. The mean score on level of low back pain among post menopausal women in Study group were 49.93 in pre test and 19.73 in post test respectively. The paired‘t’ value for low back pain were 10.74* which is significant at p < 0.05. It shows that back strengthening exercise was effective in reducing the level of low back pain. Hence the research hypothesis h1 is accepted. In Control group the mean score on level of low back pain among post menopausal women were 48 in pre test and 48 in post test respectively. The estimated paired‘t’ value for low back pain were 0.26 which is not significant at p < 0.05. The data findings showed that there was no significant association between the post test level of low back pain among post menopausal women with their demographic variable such as age, education, occupation, income, religion, dietary pattern, type of delivery, number of children, age of menopause and type of menopause at p>0.05 level. Hence hypothesis H3 is not accepted.