Investigating the Effect of Hydrotherapy on Pain Intensity and Balance in People With Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review

Background & Aims: Back pain has become a widespread issue that significantly affects many aspects of the lives of those afflicted.Hydrotherapy has quickly gained attention in the medical and sports communities and has been recognized as a valuable treatment method.Therefore, the aim of the current research was the effect of hydrotherapy on pain intensity and balance in people with non-specific chronic back pain.Materials & Methods: This study was conducted as a systematic review.Persian and English articles were searched for between 2014 and 2024 in Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, SID, ISC, and Magiran databases.Finally, 21 relevant articles were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria.The effect of hydrotherapy on pain intensity and balance in people with chronic non-specific low back pain was investigated. Results:The results of 2 studies showed that hydrotherapy and the Williams flexion model significantly reduced pain and increased dynamic balance.Also, 3 studies stated that hydrotherapy exercises have positive effects on reducing pain and improving balance in people with chronic non-specific low back pain.One study indicated that hydrotherapy does not affect the electrical activity of the back muscles and that the improvement of pain depends on other factors.In addition, the results of 4 studies showed that hydrotherapy exercises and massage therapy help reduce pain, where 6 studies showed that specific movements in water and strengthening the core muscles are also beneficial. Conclusion:Based on the studies reviewed in the present research on hydrotherapy, this method can be considered one of the effective approaches for reducing pain intensity and improving balance in individuals with non-specific chronic back pain.