Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of patients with mechanical low back pain included in study. Values are means (standard deviations) unless stated otherwise
| Variable | Control group (n=98) | Intervention group (n=89) |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 42.6 (8.62) | 41.1 (9.21) |
| No (%) of women | 55 (56) | 51 (57) |
| No (%) of non-smokers | 69 (70) | 64 (72) |
| No (%) who preferred to be allocated to exercise | 65 (66) | 53 (60) |
| No (%) who had physiotherapy in past 6 months | 23 (24) | 18 (20) |
| Number of visits to general practitioner in past 6 months | 2.45 (2.36) | 2.22 (3.32) |
| Roland disability questionnaire score (0-24 points) | 5.56 (3.94) | 6.65 (4.02) |
| Aberdeen back pain scale (0-100 points) | 25.52 (10.85) | 27.93 (11.07) |
| Fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire: | ||
| Work (0-42 points) | 13.7 (9.83) | 14.7 (10.10) |
| Physical activities (0-24 points) | 12.7 (5.47) | 13.8 (5.26) |
| EuroQoL health index (0–1 point) | 0.73 (0.15) | 0.71 (0.16) |