Sumit Asthana
Associate Professor & Head, E.I.A.H.Sc. & R, Era University, Lucknow
Arif Rizvi
Assistant Professor, E.I.A.H.Sc .& R, Era University, Lucknow
Abstract
Objective: Effect of conventional exercise program versus core stabilization in patients with chronic mechanical low back pain
Background Low back pain is defined as the pain that occurs in an area with boundaries between the lowest rib and the crease of the buttocks. It is one of the most common complaints of working-age popultion. Low back pain is associated with deconditioning of spine and trunk due to lack of core strength and stability in which 60-80% of general population suffer with high recurrence rates of 60 - 85% within following three years
Study design: Experimental, Randomized Clinical Trial (Pretest Posttest control group design)
Methods: SUBJECTS; 30 patients were randomly selected and equally divided into control and experimental groups of 15 each. An Orthopaedic evaluation was done prior to the study to rule out other causes of backache. Pain was measured on visual analog Scale and each patient was asked to fill the Rolland Morris low back pain and disability questionnaire. Common components of the two programs included a warm up period (stationary cycling and stretching exercises for a total of 10 – 15 minutes).
Results: A total of 30 subjects were recruited for the study, comprising 15 in two groups, group A and group B. group A was treated with conventional exercise program and group B with a core training program. The population comprised of 18 males and 12 females, with 9 males and 6 females in each group. The VAS score at the base line had a mean of 6.87 +1.51 for group A and 7.47 + 1.19 for group B. Post intervention the mean scores of VAS for group A and B were 2.87 +1.30 and 2.73 + 1.03 respectively. There was a significant within group difference between the scores of VAS at the baseline and post intervention for both groups A (p = .001) and group B (p = .001). However, the data analyses did not reveal any significant difference between the groups post intervention (p = .87). At the baseline the scores of VAS did not show any significant difference between the 2 groups (p = .30).
Conclusion: Supporting evidence from the literature though seems to be controversial in certain areas; the outcome of this study with highly significant statistical changes will lead us to the conclusion of accepting the research hypothesis which could be stated as "Core stabilization program is more effective in the management of chronic mechanical low back pain than conventional exercises".
Keywords: low back pain, core muscle, stabilization, stretching exercise, conventional exercise.