SynthesisFrontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland)2025
The effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation combined with physiotherapy in the management of chronic pain in adults: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Safety of combined exercise and spinal cord stimulation therapy in persistent spinal pain syndrome: a case report.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Variational free energy as a conceptual framework for understanding habituation in spinal cord stimulation.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Chronic pain affects a significant portion of the population, and conventional treatments often prove insufficient. Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS), a neuromodulation technique, has shown benefits in pain relief, while physiotherapy is widely employed to enhance physical function and quality of life. Although the combination of these approaches may offer synergistic effects, existing evidence is limited and fragmented. Objective: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS), with or without the association of physiotherapy, in the management of chronic pain in adults. Methodology: The review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines and the PICO strategy. A comprehensive search was performed across databases including Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, BASE, and VHL (BVS: MEDLINE, IBECS, WPRIM, LILACS, PERIÓDICO CAPES) using MeSH terms and Boolean operators: ("Spinal Cord Stimulation" OR "Neuromodulation") AND ("Chronic Pain" OR "Pain Management") AND ("Physical Therapy Modalities" OR "Physiotherapy" OR "Rehabilitation"). Only studies published in English, Spanish, or Portuguese in the past 10 years were included, focusing on chronic pain and reporting outcomes related to pain reduction and functional improvement. Results: Eight studies comprising 777 patients were included. Spinal cord stimulation alone led to significant pain reductions, with responder rates above 80% and average decreases of 5-6 cm on pain scales. Improvements in quality of life and functional disability were also reported, with reductions of over 30 points in disability indices and up to 40% in opioid use. However, only one study included physiotherapy as a complementary intervention, without isolating its effects. No study directly evaluated the combined efficacy of SCS and physiotherapy, highlighting a gap in the literature. Conclusion: The findings highlight the proven effectiveness of SCS in chronic pain management but reveal a lack of studies assessing its integration with physiotherapy. Future clinical trials should address this gap to explore potential synergistic effects and optimize interdisciplinary pain treatment strategies.
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