Motor Control Exercises vs Standard Exercises in Unspecific Low Back Pain

Motor Control Exercises vs Standard Exercises in Patients With Unspecific Low Back Pain

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate and compare the effects of motor control exercises and standard exercises in the pain, incapacity and medicine intake of subjects with unspecific low-back pain.

Eighty-four subjects with unspecific low-back pain were randomly recruited for the present study. The subjects were randomly allocated into control group (who received one hour of standard physiotherapy exercises every days during ten days) or intervention group (who received one hour of control motor exercises every days during ten days). One month after finishing these ten days, patients should perform a home-based exercises program during two months (control group performed home-based standard physiotherapy exercises; intervention group performed home-based motor control exercises). Pain (visual analogic scale), incapacity index (Roland Morris questionnaire) and medicine intake (diary) were evaluated before the intervention, one month and three months after ending the first ten days of intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• subjects should be independent to walk
• subjects should have unspecific low back pain during at least the last two months
• subjects should have had at least two recidives of low back pain within the last year

Exclusion Criteria:

• subjects with concomitant pathologies that impede the performance of exercises
• pregnants
• subjects with oncologic pathologies
• subjects with cognitive alterations that impede the understanding of the tests