OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of manipulative reduction on pain and clinical curative effect in patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.

METHODSEleven thousands one hundred and twenty-eight patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation from our hospital were enrolled from November 1986 to June 2007. They were randomly divided into control group and treatment group. Patients of the control group received lumbar traction and various physiotherapies. Patients of the treatment group received manipulative reduction, besides the treatment in the control group. The treatment was performed once a day,ten times as a course. Curative effects were assessed three courses later. Pain was evaluated by visual analogue scale before and after the treatment.

RESULTSNo significant difference in the score of visual analogue scale was found before the treatment in the two groups (P > 0.05). As compared with the score before treatment,it was decreased by 4.73 points after treatment in the control group, and decreased by 6.37 points in the treatment group. The decrease was more significant in the treatment group than the control group (P < 0.01). The healing rate was 47.28% and total effective rate was 96.37% in the control group; The healing rate was 73.44% and total effective rate was 98.61% in the treatment group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONManipulative reduction for lumbar intervertebral disc herniation can remarkably relieve lumbar pain and improve clinical curative effect.