Impedance therapy in rehabilitation of degenerative disc disease

AIM: The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of Impedance Therapy (IT) in the treatment of degenerative disc disease (DDD) by confirming the presence of the "disc grow-up" (DGU) phenomenon. METHOD: The set consisted of 55 patients with DDD with the average age of 51.3 years divided into two groups - the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group consisted of 29 patients with the average age of 56.7 years. The control group consisted of 26 patients with the average age of 45.8 years. RESULTS: In the experimental group of patients with DDD, who received IT, the DGU phenomenon with a success rate of 76 % was observed, with the average increase in the volume of the intervertebral disc of 31 % (p < 0.000). In the control group of patients receiving the standard electrotherapy, the DGU phenomenon was not proven - the DDD progressed normally with the mean volume reduction of 15 % (p < 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Degenerative disc disease, as a disease of modern civilization, is treatable. It can be concluded that the theory that degenerative disc changes are irreversible was disproven by the impact of impedance therapy (Tab. 5, Ref. 14).