Motor control exercise for chronic low back pain: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Costa LO, Maher CG, Latimer J, et al. Phys Ther 2009;89(12):1275–86. Epub 2009 Nov 5

BackgroundThe evidence that exercise intervention is effective for treatment of chronic low back pain comes from trials that are not placebo-controlled.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of motor control exercise for people with chronic low back pain.DesignThis was a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.SettingThe study was conducted in an outpatient physical therapy department in Australia.PatientsThe participants were 154 patients with chronic low back pain of more than 12 weeks’ duration.InterventionTwelve sessions of motor control exercise (ie, exercises designed to improve function of specific muscles of the low back region and the control of posture and movement) or placebo (ie, detuned ultrasound therapy and detuned short-wave therapy) were conducted over 8 weeks.MeasurementsPrimary outcomes were pain intensity, activity (measured by the Patient-Specific Functional Scale), and patient's global impression of recovery measured at 2 months. Secondary outcomes were pain; activity (measured by the Patient-Specific Functional Scale); patient's global impression of recovery measured at 6 and 12 months; activity limitation (measured by the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire) at 2, 6, and 12 months; and risk of persistent or recurrent pain at 12 months.ResultsThe exercise intervention improved activity and patient's global impression of recovery but did not clearly reduce pain at 2 months. The mean effect of exercise on activity (measured by the Patient-Specific Functional Scale) was 1.1 points (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.3 to 1.8), the mean effect on global impression of recovery was 1.5 points (95% CI=0.4 to 2.5), and the mean effect on pain was 0.9 points (95% CI=−0.01 to 1.8), all measured on 11-point scales. Secondary outcomes also favored motor control exercise.LimitationClinicians could not be blinded to the intervention they provided.ConclusionsMotor control exercise produced short-term improvements in global impression of recovery and activity, but not pain, for people with chronic low back pain. Most of the effects observed in the short term were maintained at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups.

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Comparing Pain Neuroscience Education Followed by Motor Control Exercises With Group‐Based Exercises for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Pain Practice ◽

10.1111/papr.12963 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Pouya Rabiei ◽

Bahram Sheikhi ◽

Amir Letafatkar

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Low Back Pain ◽

Motor Control ◽

Back Pain ◽

Chronic Low Back Pain ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Low Back ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Neuroscience Education

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A randomized controlled trial comparing McKenzie therapy and motor control exercises on the recruitment of trunk muscles in people with chronic low back pain: a trial protocol

Physiotherapy ◽

10.1016/j.physio.2014.07.001 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 101 (2) ◽

pp. 232-238 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Mark H. Halliday ◽

Paulo H. Ferreira ◽

Mark J. Hancock ◽

Helen A. Clare

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Low Back Pain ◽

Motor Control ◽

Back Pain ◽

Chronic Low Back Pain ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Trunk Muscles ◽

Trial Protocol ◽

Low Back ◽

Randomized Controlled

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Motor Control Exercises, Sling Exercises, and General Exercises for Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial With 1-Year Follow-up

Physical Therapy ◽

10.2522/ptj.20090421 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 90 (10) ◽

pp. 1426-1440 ◽

Cited By ~ 82

Author(s):

Monica Unsgaard-Tøndel ◽

Anne Margrethe Fladmark ◽

Øyvind Salvesen ◽

Ottar Vasseljen

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Low Back Pain ◽

Motor Control ◽

Back Pain ◽

Outcome Measures ◽

Chronic Low Back Pain ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Low Back ◽

Randomized Controlled

BackgroundExercise benefits patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain; however, the most effective type of exercise remains unknown.ObjectiveThis study compared outcomes after motor control exercises, sling exercises, and general exercises for low back pain.DesignThis was a randomized controlled trial with a 1-year follow-up.SettingThe study was conducted in a primary care setting in Norway.PatientsThe participants were patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain (n=109).InterventionsThe interventions in this study were low-load motor control exercises, high-load sling exercises, or general exercises, all delivered by experienced physical therapists, once a week for 8 weeks.MeasurementsThe primary outcome measure was pain reported on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale after treatment and at a 1-year follow-up. Secondary outcome measures were self-reported activity limitation (assessed with the Oswestry Disability Index), clinically examined function (assessed with the Fingertip-to-Floor Test), and fear-avoidance beliefs after intervention.ResultsThe postintervention assessment showed no significant differences among groups with respect to pain (overall group difference) or any of the outcome measures. Mean (95% confidence interval) group differences for pain reduction after treatment and after 1 year were 0.3 (−0.7 to 1.3) and 0.4 (−0.7 to 1.4) for motor control exercises versus sling exercises, 0.7 (−0.6 to 2.0) and 0.3 (−0.8 to 1.4) for sling exercises versus general exercises, and 1.0 (−0.1 to 2.0) and 0.7 (−0.3 to 1.7) for motor control exercises versus general exercises.LimitationsThe nature of the interventions made blinding impossible.ConclusionsThis study gave no evidence that 8 treatments with individually instructed motor control exercises or sling exercises were superior to general exercises for chronic low back pain.

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