Introduction
Back pain (BP) is a leading cause of years lived with disability
[1], with an estimated 70-85 percent of the population to experience
BP at some point in their lives [2]. In North America, disability
from BP increased by 14 times the rate of population growth between the
years 1950 and 1980 [2]. When measuring overall disease burden,
these trends have also occurred on a global scale in all continents, but
significantly so in areas such as South Asia, East Asia, North Africa,
and the Middle East. Poor education about workplace ergonomic and a lack
of effective medical management is thought to be among the main causes
of the increase in overall burden [1].
The biggest challenge in treating back pain is determining the actual
development of the injury. Spine stability is based on three components:
(1) vertebrae and facet joint, ligament, and intervertebral disks; (2)
muscles and tendons surrounding the spine; (3) neural systems that
control coordinate the active subsystem [3]. A disruption in any one
of these three components leads to instability of the spine and injury
and pain [3]. Current evidence based treatment modalities focus on a
combination of pain medications, exercise, and psychological
interventions. Although a minority of patients with chronic BP may
qualify for surgery, serious side effects and high costs are an
impediment.
A factor in low back pain may be obesity resulting in stress on the
musculoskeletal system. As a result bariatric surgery is conducted in
some cases with positive results [4]. However, there is also a known
effect on some patients that a gastrectomy is followed by increasing low
back pain resulting from the change in intra-abdominal pressure, spinal
loading, and a decrease in stability of the spine [5].
Alternative treatment modes are, consequently, being explored. One novel
treatment being used successfully for many patients is the KKT Treatment
(Khan Kinetic Treatment). This non-invasive approach provides
orthopaedic spinal treatment with focused sound waves. The KKT device
delivers digitally derived personalized low frequency sound waves within
the audible range (50-100 Hz) focused through a stylus onto particular
locations on the spine. This sound wave therapy is a safe therapy that
has demonstrated the ability to decrease pain, reduce anxiety, reduce
the symptoms of illness, and generally promote health in many patients
[6]. Research has shown that the musculoskeletal effects of the
novel sound wave therapy result in pain reduction and spinal alignment
but also include increased mRNA expression of key proteins for spinal
health and a cellular environment conducive to ligament repair
[6-9].
Low back pain is a major problem that increases patients’ suffering and
increases health care costs. Treatment for low back pain must control
pain perception, improve alignment of the spine, and stimulate the
healing of ligamentous structures. Research into the sound wave therapy
has theorized that the KKT treatment addresses these crucial
requirements of effective back treatment by: (1) stimulating
intervertebral discs biosynthesis; (2) Correcting abnormal
intervertebral joint rotation (mean axis of rotation, MAR); (3) Gating
pain transmission by activating key circuitry in the spinal cord; (4)
Minimizing asymmetrical loads on the spine by relaxing paraspinal
muscles; and (5) increasing coordination of muscle groups that play a
critical role in stabilization of the spine [8,9]. It is very
important to improve our management approach of low back pain to help
reduce the risk and costs of such pain. The following case report of an
adult patient who presented with low back pain illustrates the effect of
the KKT treatment.