Combined Effects of Physiotherapy and Vitamin D Supplementation on Pain, Disability, and IL-6 Expression in…

Randomized trialLife (Basel, Switzerland)· Aug 2026

Combined Effects of Physiotherapy and Vitamin D Supplementation on Pain, Disability, and IL-6 Expression in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abdulaziz A Albalwi, Hamad S Al Amer, Rashid Mir … Ahmad A Alharbi

Musculoskeletal RehabilitationRandomized trialTreatmentQ1IF 4.3

Adding vitamin D to physiotherapy cuts low back pain more than physiotherapy alone.

Combined Effects of Physiotherapy and Vitamin D Supplementation on Pain, Disability, and IL-6 Expression in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abdulaziz A Albalwi … Ahmad A Alharbi

Life (Basel, Switzerland) · Aug 2026

Background

Chronic low back pain (chronic low back pain) is a leading cause of global disability, linked to elevated IL-6 and vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the combined effects of physiotherapy and vitamin D supplementation on pain, disability, IL-6 expression, and vitamin D levels in chronic low back pain patients.

Methods

All 60 participants enrolled had laboratory-confirmed vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency (serum 25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL) at screening.

n = 60 participants

-3.01

Results

-3.01

vs. -1.71

vitamin D plus physiotherapy cut pain scores nearly twice as much

n = 60 participants

More results

Both groups showed significant improvements in Numeric Pain Rating Scale and Oswestry Disability Index at six weeks ( p < 0.001).

IL-6 decreased significantly only in Group B (18.24 pg/mL, p < 0.001), with no significant change in Group A (25.96 pg/mL, p = 0.626).

More results

Vitamin D levels increased significantly in Group B (31.68 ng/mL, p < 0.001) compared with Group A (19.68 ng/mL, p = 0.115), a between-group difference that was also statistically significant.

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Conclusion · 1 of 2

Combining physiotherapy with vitamin D supplementation improves outcomes in the management of chronic low back pain.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

This approach effectively reduces pain, functional disability, inflammation, and vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency, offering a comprehensive, evidence-based treatment strategy.

Combined Effects of Physiotherapy and Vitamin D Supplementation on Pain, Disability, and IL-6 Expression in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Combined Effects of Physiotherapy and Vitamin D Supplementation on Pain, Disability, and IL-6 Expression in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

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