Effectiveness of Strengthening Exercise for Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: chronic discomfort in the lower part of the vertebral column that persistently persists for at least 12 weeks. Different factors are thought to be involved; they include muscle strain, ligament sprain, degenerative disc disease or spinal stenosis. Poor postures, obesity, and lack of exercise are some culprits for such pains. The management methodologies often encompass a range of therapeutic approaches which consist of physiotherapy, pain management techniques as well as surgical intervention in case the symptoms are too severe. Objectives: The general goal here is to evaluate whether strengthening exercises can help manage chronic low back pain (CLBP) using a randomized controlled trial (RCT); Materials & Methods: Randomization resulted in a total sample size of forty participants suffering from CLBP who were incorporated into two groups. There were twenty patients each in the Control group who were offered routine physiotherapy while in the Experimental group, there was additional inclusion of strengthening exercises with conventional therapy to evaluate the effectiveness of the exercise program. Exercise intervention effectiveness is assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Ronald Morris Questionnaire (RMQ) & SF-12: Short Form-12 Health Survey; Results: As part of the study, conventional physiotherapy intervention was done where an experimental group had additional strengthening exercises. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score obtained after eight sessions showed significant improvements in both groups for various pain parameters including standing, usual activities and sports. Postintervention mean baseline VAS scores reduced significantly indicating that the treatment approach used in this case was effective. Withal, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMQ) scores markedly diminished during eight sessions of usual physical therapy both among control as well as experiment groups, which confirmed a positive effect on disability alleviation caused by pain. Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings of this study imply that both conventional and experimental physiotherapy with muscle-strengthening exercises are effective ways of reducing pain and improving functional outcomes for individuals who have chronic low back pain. Keywords: Effectiveness, Specific Strengthening Exercise, CLBP