Abstract
Background: Exercise is an effective treatment for patients with sub-acute and chronic low back pain (LBP). Patients with a movement control impairment (MCI) can be diagnosed as a subgroup of patients with LBP. Unknown is which exercise intervention is most beneficial for this subgroup.
This study assessed the short-term effect of a specific exercise program targeting movement control impairment versus general exercise treatment on disability in patients with LBP and MCI.
Methods: In a multicentre parallel group randomised controlled pragmatic trial, patients with sub-acute and chronic LBP were included. Further inclusion criteria were disability of >= 5 points on the RolandeMorris Disability Questionnaire and >= 2 positive tests out of a set of 6 movement control impairment tests.
A total of 106 patients were randomly assigned to either tailored movement control exercise intervention (MC, n = 52) or a general exercise intervention (GE, n = 54); both 9-18 individual treatment sessions, over a maximum of 12 weeks. The primary outcome was disability measured with the Patient Specific Functional scale (PSFS). Secondary outcome was the Roland -Morris disability scale (RMDQ). Measurements were taken pre- and posttreatment.
Results: No significant difference was found following the treatment period. Baseline-adjusted between-group mean difference for the PSFS was 0.5 (SD = 0.5; p = 0.32) in favour of MC exercises. The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire revealed a significant, but not clinically relevant, between-group difference of 2.0 points (SD = 0.8; p = 0.01).
Conclusion: Disability in LBP patients was reduced considerably by both interventions. However, the limited contrast between the two exercise programs may have influenced outcomes.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 189-202 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies |
Volume | 20 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan 2016 |
Keywords
- Randomised controlled trial
- Movement control impairment
- Exercise
- Low back pain
- Clinical trial
- Posture
- Rehabilitation
- Patient specific functional scale
- INTER-EXAMINER RELIABILITY
- PREDICTIVE-VALIDITY
- FUNCTIONAL SCALE
- CONTROL TESTS
- CLASSIFICATION
- QUESTIONNAIRE
- DISABILITY
- THERAPY
- STRATEGIES
- MANAGEMENT