Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare between the effects of clinically supervised exercises and HEP on pain, disability and physical function in patients with chronic low back pain (LBP).

Setting: A physical therapy outpatient clinic.

Participants: Thirty-three participants with chronic LBP completed the program. Pain duration was more than 12 weeks.

Interventions: The first group (n=17, mean age=41.5±13.5 years) received clinically supervised exercises and HEP. The second group (n=16, mean age=44.2±15.6 years) received HEP.

Materials: Visual analogue scale, Oswestry disability questionnaire and performance based measures (the fifty-foot preferred speed walk, fifty-foot fast walk, and distance walked in five minutes) were used to measure pain, disability and physical function before and after 6 weeks of intervention.

Results: Analysis of covariance tests revealed statistically significant decrease in pain, (F_1.30=5.46, P=0.01) and disability (F_1.30=6.4,P=0.01) in the first group. They also showed increase in physical function as measured by the fifty-foot preferred speed walk (F_1.30=6.9, P=.01), fifty-foot fast speed walk (F_1.30=7.5, P=0.001), and distance walked in five minutes (F_1.30=9.5, P=0.01) in the first group.

Conclusion: Supervised exercises improved all dependent parameters better than HEP alone in patients with chronic LBP. In this study, clinically supervised exercises are better than HEP alone in patients with nonspecific chronic LBP.

Keywords: Low back pain, home program, exercise, supervised