Introduction: Low back pain affects both men and women and significantly impacts the quality of life. The main role of the diaphragm is respiratory, but it also plays a key role in maintaining balance, easing spinal tension, and contributing to trunk stability by increasing pressure in the abdominal cavity. Individuals with a limited ability to contract the diaphragm are more likely to develop back pain. Objective: The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the effects of diaphragm manual release on subjects with lower back pain through a literature review. Methods: Literature was obtained from electronic databases PubMed, PEDro, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Results: Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria five studies were included which examined the effectiveness of diaphragm manual release on pain reduction, chest wall mobility, diaphragmatic mobility, and active thoracic and lumbar spine range of motion. Pain reduction was observed (after 12 weeks of therapy a reduction of 27,2 points on the Short form McGill Questionnair (p = 0,001)), increased chest wall mobility (upper part by 2,08 cm (p = 0,001) and lower part by 1,83 cm (p = 0,002)), and increased active range of motion in the thoracic and lumbar spine were observed (for flexion 16,67° (p = 0,001), for extension 7,63° (p = 0,001), for right lateral flexion 9,53° (p = 0,001), and for left lateral flexion 3,10° (p = 0,001)), while increased diaphragmatic mobility was only detected in one study. Discussion and Conclusion: From the analysed studies, it is evident that diaphragm manual release has a positive effect on pain and mobility of subjects with low back pain. It is advisable for these techniques to be performed in combination with other physiotherapeutic procedures. In future research, authors should focus on standardizing diaphragm release techniques and monitoring the long-term effects of these techniques on a larger sample of subjects.
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