A 3-month Follow-up Study of the Long-term Effects of Direct Stretching of the Tensor Fasciae Latae Muscle in Patients with Acute Lumbago Using a Single-case Design

[Purpose] A 3-month follow-up study was conducted on a patient diagnosed with acutenonspecfic lumbago. Direct stretching (DS) of the tensor fasciae latae muscle (TFLM) wasperformed, and an immediate effect was confirmed. [Subjects] The case subject was a60-year-old woman diagnosed with acute nonspecific lumbago. [Methods] We used asingle-case study design and an AB-type study structure, in which the leg was placed inpositions that relieved the back pain in period A and DS of the TFLM was performed inperiod B. The evaluation indices were the visual analog scale (VAS), finger-to-floordistance (FFD), and posterior lumbar flexibility (PLF), which were analyzed using thebinomial test. [Results] The VAS, FFD, and PLF in period B showed significant improvementwhen compared with period A. Additionally, complaints of lower back pain ceased after 2weeks, and the results of the follow-up study showed no recurrence of back pain during the3 months. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest that DS of the TFLM has animmediate effect on acute nonspecific lumbago in addition to long-term pain reliefeffects.Key words: A 3-month follow-up, Tensor fasciae latae muscle, Acute nonspecific non-specific low back pain