Comparing the Effects of the Postural Restoration Exercises with and without Core Stability Exercises in Patients with Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain

Nasrin Fouladi; Homan Minoonejad; Reza Rajabi

doi:10.18502/jmr.v18i1.14728

Nasrin Fouladi Department of Sports Injury and Corrective Exercises, Kish International Campus, University of Tehran, Kish, Iran
Homan Minoonejad Department of Sports Injury and Biomechanics, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Reza Rajabi Department of Sports Injury and Biomechanics, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jmr.v18i1.14728

Keywords: Core stability; Exercise therapy; Low back pain; Postural restoration

Abstract

Introduction: This study compares the effect of postural restoration (PR) exercises with and without core stability exercises on the pain, intensity, function, quality of life (QoL), and passive range of motion (PROM) at lumbo pelvic-femoral complex in patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain.

Materials and Methods: This was an interventional type of randomized clinical trial study. The participants were 45 female patients (48.1±6.11 years, 161.4±5.06 cm height, 65.08±6.9 kg weight, and 24.9±2.8 body mass index). They were randomly divided into three equal groups: Group 1=PR exercises and core exercises, group 2=PR exercises, and group 3=control group. Pain intensity, function, QoL, and PROM were measured with the visual analog scale, Oswestry disability index, short form-36 questionnaire, and goniometer. The analysis of covariance was used to compare the means in the study groups before and after the intervention. The intervention groups performed the exercises for six weeks.

Results: The results showed a significant difference between the QoL, pain intensity, function, and PROM of left hip adduction in the group with PR exercises with and without core exercises and control (P=0.000). In the PR group with core exercises (P=0.001) and without core exercises (P=0.001), a significant increase was observed in the adduction of the left hip. There was no significant difference between the function (P=0.850), pain (P=0.120), QoL (P=0.328), and PROM (P=0.094) in the intervention groups.

Conclusion: PR exercises with and without core stability are equally effective in reducing pain and improving function, QoL, and hip adduction range of motion in women with left anterior interior chain patterns.