Continuous Passive Motion Machine for Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most prevalent physical afflictions in the United States. Pain in the back can be ascribed to injury, disease or structural deformities caused by age or congenital defects. Treatment options are widely available and varied because of the prevalence of the condition. One of the more familiar treatments for back pain involves the use of a continuous passive motion machine to relieve inter-vertebral pressure and ease back pain.

What Is a Continuous Passive Motion Machine

• The apparatus moves a person's lower back through a range of lordosis, or curvatures of the spine. It applies cyclical force with a back-engaging surface, which is sandwiched between a person's back and an adjacent static structure, such as a floor. The motion increases and decreases the distance between the ground and the machine, allowing a wider range of motion than is usually possible. Force increase and intervals are controlled with a transducer and timing circuitry respectively, the settings of which can be preset by the user.

Mechanism of a CPMM

• Mechanical feedback between the transducer and the force-applying apparatus control the pressure, or force, that is applied to the back. CPMM usually have settings that can be set to run for a certain amount of time and exert a particular amount of pressure during sessions. The force exerted by the CPMM can be set to increase up to a particular level before decreasing at regular intervals. Additionally, a considerably stable pressure can be exerted amid the periods between force increase and decrease.

The Effect of CPMM on Back Pain

• The lordosis imposed by a CPMM is supposed to soothe and loosen tight muscles in a gentle manner. This ensures release of inter-vertebral pressure. People who purchase a CPMM are assured they no longer have to undergo the painful exercises and stretching sessions to manage back pain. The caveat is that the efficacy of a CPMM depends on how severe the back pain is.

A Skeptics' View of CPMM

• Research on the use of CPMM in post-knee surgery use is well-established. However, similar data on its effect on lower back pain are lacking. An interesting point in studies on the use of a CPMM in knee pain is that they tend to come to conflicting conclusions. Some state that CPMM improves a patient's condition after knee arthroplasty, while others record little or no effect when CPMM is compared with a placebo.

Management of Back Pain

• A CPMM can be a complement to existing physiotherapy for back pain. Medical practitioners tend to stress that managing diet, physical health and stress would bring more success than would the use of a CPMM. Regular pain relief with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants can help in the short term, and staying active with exercise that increases trunk strength and flexibility is helpful in easing back pain. Contrary to popular belief, bed rest is inadvisable for those suffering from back pain.