Unlocking Pain Relief for Chronic Low Back Pain: The Potential of the 4xT Method® – A Dual Case Study Analysis

Robbert N. van Amstel; Karl Noten

doi:10.12659/AJCR.939284

Unlocking Pain Relief for Chronic Low Back Pain: The Potential of the 4xT Method® – A Dual Case Study Analysis

Robbert N. van Amstel^*
, Karl Noten

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The 4xT method is a therapeutic approach involving 10 sequential steps. The 4xT method uses the steps test, trigger, tape, and train, sequentially executed until the patient can train with an acceptable level of pain. The report aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of 4xT therapy in managing chronic nonspecific low back pain (LBP) after the first treatment and after 6 weeks of therapy by measuring changes in range of motion (ROM) and pain levels using the numeric rating scale (pain NRS).

CASE REPORT: After the first treatment, patient 1 (42-year-old woman with 16 years of LBP, having a profession requiring standing) improved substantially in ROM, increasing flexion from 57° to 104° and extension from 5° to 21°. The pain NRS during flexion decreased from 8 to 0 (after step 6), and during extension, it decreased from 6 to 0 (after step 7). Similarly, patient 2 (43-year-old man with 13 weeks of LBP, having a sedentary occupation) showed ROM improvements, increasing extension from 16° to 25° and flexion from 58° to 101°. After step 8, pain NRS during extension decreased from 7 to 1, and during flexion, it decreased from 6 to 2 (after step 3). Pain further reduced to NRS0 after training. After 6 weeks of 4xT therapy, LBP improved, and mobility substantially increased in both patients.

CONCLUSIONS: The 4xT method was effective in reducing pain and improving mobility in 2 LBP patients after initial treatment and 6 weeks of therapy. Further research is necessary to validate these results in larger populations

Original language	English
Article number	e939284
Pages (from-to)	1-12
Number of pages	12
Journal	American Journal of Case Reports
Volume	24
Early online date	27 Apr 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.12659/AJCR.939284
Publication status	Published - 6 Jun 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© Am J Case Rep, 2023.

Funding

The authors thank Professor Dr. Richard Jaspers and Professor Dr. Annelies Pool-Goudzwaard from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Netherlands, and emeritus Professor Dr. Peter Vaes from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Department of manual therapy Brussels, Belgium, for their support and critical comments.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Back Muscles
Fascia
Low Back Pain
Physical Therapy Modalities
Range of Motion, Articular
Spine

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10.12659/AJCR.939284

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Cite this

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title = "Unlocking Pain Relief for Chronic Low Back Pain: The Potential of the 4xT Method{\textregistered} – A Dual Case Study Analysis",

abstract = " BACKGROUND: The 4xT method is a therapeutic approach involving 10 sequential steps. The 4xT method uses the steps test, trigger, tape, and train, sequentially executed until the patient can train with an acceptable level of pain. The report aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of 4xT therapy in managing chronic nonspecific low back pain (LBP) after the first treatment and after 6 weeks of therapy by measuring changes in range of motion (ROM) and pain levels using the numeric rating scale (pain NRS). CASE REPORT: After the first treatment, patient 1 (42-year-old woman with 16 years of LBP, having a profession requiring standing) improved substantially in ROM, increasing flexion from 57° to 104° and extension from 5° to 21°. The pain NRS during flexion decreased from 8 to 0 (after step 6), and during extension, it decreased from 6 to 0 (after step 7). Similarly, patient 2 (43-year-old man with 13 weeks of LBP, having a sedentary occupation) showed ROM improvements, increasing extension from 16° to 25° and flexion from 58° to 101°. After step 8, pain NRS during extension decreased from 7 to 1, and during flexion, it decreased from 6 to 2 (after step 3). Pain further reduced to NRS0 after training. After 6 weeks of 4xT therapy, LBP improved, and mobility substantially increased in both patients. CONCLUSIONS: The 4xT method was effective in reducing pain and improving mobility in 2 LBP patients after initial treatment and 6 weeks of therapy. Further research is necessary to validate these results in larger populations ",

keywords = "Back Muscles, Fascia, Low Back Pain, Physical Therapy Modalities, Range of Motion, Articular, Spine",

author = "\{van Amstel\}, \{Robbert N.\} and Karl Noten",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Am J Case Rep, 2023.",

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month = jun,

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doi = "10.12659/AJCR.939284",

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PY - 2023/6/6

Y1 - 2023/6/6

N2 - BACKGROUND: The 4xT method is a therapeutic approach involving 10 sequential steps. The 4xT method uses the steps test, trigger, tape, and train, sequentially executed until the patient can train with an acceptable level of pain. The report aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of 4xT therapy in managing chronic nonspecific low back pain (LBP) after the first treatment and after 6 weeks of therapy by measuring changes in range of motion (ROM) and pain levels using the numeric rating scale (pain NRS). CASE REPORT: After the first treatment, patient 1 (42-year-old woman with 16 years of LBP, having a profession requiring standing) improved substantially in ROM, increasing flexion from 57° to 104° and extension from 5° to 21°. The pain NRS during flexion decreased from 8 to 0 (after step 6), and during extension, it decreased from 6 to 0 (after step 7). Similarly, patient 2 (43-year-old man with 13 weeks of LBP, having a sedentary occupation) showed ROM improvements, increasing extension from 16° to 25° and flexion from 58° to 101°. After step 8, pain NRS during extension decreased from 7 to 1, and during flexion, it decreased from 6 to 2 (after step 3). Pain further reduced to NRS0 after training. After 6 weeks of 4xT therapy, LBP improved, and mobility substantially increased in both patients. CONCLUSIONS: The 4xT method was effective in reducing pain and improving mobility in 2 LBP patients after initial treatment and 6 weeks of therapy. Further research is necessary to validate these results in larger populations

AB - BACKGROUND: The 4xT method is a therapeutic approach involving 10 sequential steps. The 4xT method uses the steps test, trigger, tape, and train, sequentially executed until the patient can train with an acceptable level of pain. The report aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of 4xT therapy in managing chronic nonspecific low back pain (LBP) after the first treatment and after 6 weeks of therapy by measuring changes in range of motion (ROM) and pain levels using the numeric rating scale (pain NRS). CASE REPORT: After the first treatment, patient 1 (42-year-old woman with 16 years of LBP, having a profession requiring standing) improved substantially in ROM, increasing flexion from 57° to 104° and extension from 5° to 21°. The pain NRS during flexion decreased from 8 to 0 (after step 6), and during extension, it decreased from 6 to 0 (after step 7). Similarly, patient 2 (43-year-old man with 13 weeks of LBP, having a sedentary occupation) showed ROM improvements, increasing extension from 16° to 25° and flexion from 58° to 101°. After step 8, pain NRS during extension decreased from 7 to 1, and during flexion, it decreased from 6 to 2 (after step 3). Pain further reduced to NRS0 after training. After 6 weeks of 4xT therapy, LBP improved, and mobility substantially increased in both patients. CONCLUSIONS: The 4xT method was effective in reducing pain and improving mobility in 2 LBP patients after initial treatment and 6 weeks of therapy. Further research is necessary to validate these results in larger populations

KW - Back Muscles

KW - Fascia

KW - Low Back Pain

KW - Physical Therapy Modalities

KW - Range of Motion, Articular

KW - Spine

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Unlocking Pain Relief for Chronic Low Back Pain: The Potential of the 4xT Method® – A Dual Case Study Analysis

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Persistent URL (handle)

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Cite this