Abstract: Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of divergent extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) combined with conventional physical agents therapy in middle-aged patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP). Methods The 60 middle-aged CNLBP patients undergoing rehabilitation in Jiangwan Hospital of Shanghai Hongkou District from July 2020 to June 2021 were divided into control group and experimental group by random number table method, with 30 cases in each group. The control group performed conventional physical agents therapy, including interference electric therapy, microwave therapy and ultrasound therapy, and the experimental group added the divergent extracorporeal shock wave therapy with intermoderate energy intensity to the basis of the control group treatment. Before treatment, 4 weeks after treatment and 8 weeks after treatment, visual analogue scale(VAS),Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI), finger face to distance (FFD) were adopted to evaluate the degree of low back pain and lumbar spine function, and observe the safety of the two groups. Results Before treatment, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). After 4 weeks and 8 weeks of treatment, VAS, ODI, and FFD were reduced in both groups (P<0.05), and the experimental group values were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Both groups of patients had no adverse reactions during the treatment. Conclusion Divergent extracorporeal shock wave therapy combined with conventional physical agents therapy can effectively relieve the pain in middle-aged patients with chronic non-specific low back pain and thus improve their lumbar spine function.

Key words: divergent extracorporeal shock wave therapy, chronic non-specific low back pain, middle age, intermoderate energy