The effect of individualized gradable stabilization exercises in patients with chronic low back pain: Case-control study.

Abstract

There is no evidence that one exercise program is better than another for rehabilitation of patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). To identify the safety and efficacy of a gradable stabilization exercise protocol in patients with CLBP. This study is a retrospective cohort study with 65 patients. The exercise group received the gradable stabilization exercise protocol for 3 weeks over 6-8 visits, while the control group did not receive any exercise protocol. All subjects were evaluated with the visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Fear-Avoidance Belief Questionnaire (FABQ), the active sit-up test (AST), side support test (SST), and extensor endurance test (EET). After gradable stabilization exercise, the exercise group showed significant improvement in VAS, FABQ-W, ODI, AST, SST and EET (p< 0.05). And the exercise group showed better improvement than the control group in VAS, FABQ-W, ODI, AST, SST and EET (p< 0.05). The rate of treatment success was 77.1% among patients assigned to the exercise group, as compared with 12.0% among those assigned to the control group. This study showed that the gradable stabilization exercise protocol has the possibility to improve clinical and physical findings.