Abstract

The patient's low back pain can be determined using the visual analog scale (VAS) as subjective methods. This study aims to design a device used in evaluating low back pain objectively, by measuring skin resistance. To test the developed system, 8 low back pain (experimental group) and 8 healthy (control group) subjects were admitted in Dumlupinar University, Medical Faculty, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation services. The skin resistance of all the subjects has been measured from their back using both the DC and the AC supplies. The skin resistance of the experimental group before the treatment and at the end of 15 days of the treatment was measured. The results of the treatment of the experimental group before and after treatment have been found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). The measured skin resistance values were found to be statistically significant, when compared to the control and the experimental groups (p < 0.05). As a result of these findings, the developed system can be used to objectively determine low back pain by measuring skin resistance.

Key words: Skin resistance, low back pain, visual analog scale, objective measurement.