. 2019 Jul 9;31(7):590–597. doi: 10.1589/jpts.31.590

Table 2. Study characteristics.

	Study design	Participants	Interventions	Outcome	Findings
Muretzani et al. (2015)³²⁾	Assessor blinded RCT	N=271 Inclusion criteria: Aged between 18–56 years, chronic nonspecific low back pain	Group 1 (n=134): McKenzie therapy. Exercises repeated five times per day, 10 to 15 repetitions; participants got seven sessions treatment as maximum. Session lasted to 10 hours. Group 2 (n=137): Electro-physical agents (EPAs) treatment for four weeks.	VAS ODQ FTF ROM	Although the findings between two groups stated that there is significant improvement between both groups, improvement in McKenzie group was more than EPAs group in all the parameters.

Garcia et al. (2013)³¹⁾	Assessor blinded RCT	N=148 Inclusion criteria: Aged between 18 and 80 years, nonspecific chronic low back pain	Group 1 (n=74): McKenzie method. Patients were provided with information regarding spinal care and asked to do specific exercises according to movement preference direction movement. Group 2 (n=74): Treatment in this group depends on exercise programme in order to enhance mobility, strength and flexibility.	NRS RMDQ ROM WHOQOL-BREF	There is no significant difference between groups in pain intensity. However, there is important improvement in disability in McKenzie but not in pain.

Moon et al. (2013)³⁶⁾	Assessor blinded RCT	N=24 Inclusion criteria: Nonspecific chronic LBP	Group 1 (n=12): Lumber stabilization exercises. Comprised of 16 exercises, intended to reinforce the deep lumbar stabilizing muscles. Group 2 (n=12): Conventional lumber dynamic strengthening exercise. comprised of 14 exercises, which triggered the extensor (erector spinae) and flexor (rectus abdominis) muscle groups.	VAS ODQ	Pain reduced considerably after treatment; although, the variations were not notably altered between the groups. Disability enhanced notably in the stabilization exercise group only.

Hosseinifar et al. (2013)³⁴⁾	Assessor blinded RCT	N=30 Inclusion criteria: Patients aged between 18–50 and chronic low back pain with or without leg pain.	Group 1 (n=15): Stabilization exercises. Patients asked to do stabilization exercises in six steps: Group 2 (n=15): McKenzie Exercise. Individuals were requested to carry out six exercises: four extension-type exercises and two flexion-type exercises.	VAS FRI	After interventions, the pain score reduced in the two groups. The disability score reduced, but only in the stabilization group.

Franca et al. (2012)²⁷⁾	Assessor blinded RCT	N=30 Inclusion criteria: Chronic LBP	Group 1 (n=15): Segmental stabilisation exercise (SS). Concentrated on the TrA and LM muscles. Group 2 (n=15): Muscular stretching exercises (ST). Focused on erector spinae (ES), hamstring (HS), and triceps surae (TS) muscles stretching and connective tissues posterior to column were conducted.	VAS MPQ ODQ	As compared with baseline, the two treatments were essential in relieving pain and bettering disability. Those in the SS group had expressively higher gains for all variables.

Paatelma et al. (2008)³⁰⁾	RCT	N=134 Inclusion criteria: Aged between 18–65 years, employed people with non-specific low back pain.	Group 1 (n=45): Orthopedic manual therapy. Patients received three techniques of treatment such as spinal manipulation, specific mobilization, and muscle stretching. Group 2 (n=52): McKenzie method. Treatment includes an educational module supported with book (year book on back) and an active therapy section, which delivered instructions in exercises repeated several times a day. Group 3 (n=37): Advice only. Patients received 45–60 min counselling from a physiotherapist concerning the good prognosis for LBP.	VAS RMDQ	At the 3-month follow-up, substantial improvements were observed in all groups. However, no significant differences were noted between the groups. At the 6-month follow-up, greater improvement was observed in the McKenzie group compared to the advice only group. At 1-year follow-up, the McKenzie group were noted to have had a better disability index than the advice only group.

Miller et al. (2005)³³⁾	RCT	N=30 Inclusion criteria: Chronic low back pain.	Group 1 (n=15): McKenzie Exercises. Participants allocated to this group acquired treatment founded on their history and reaction to the recurrent movement examination after the completion of the McKenzie exam. Group 2 (n=15): Stabilization Exercises. These concentrated on reinforcing the lumbar multifidus and transversus abdominis muscles through performance of a lower abdominal contraction.	Short-Form MPQ FSQ	The stabilization group portrayed a statistically noteworthy enhancement in pain results. The McKenzie group did better in the current pain index of the SF-MPQ only (p<0.05). Between-group comparisons of alterations in the dependent variable scores showed no statistical alterations between the groups.

Koumantakis et al. (2005)³⁵⁾	Assessor blinded RCT	N=55 Inclusion criteria: Recurrent LBP, Nonspecific LBP	Group 1 (n=29) Stabilisation and general exercises group Group 2 (n=26) General exercises only.	MPQ RMDQ PSEQ TSK PLCS	There are differences between groups. All of them were improved in pain and disability.

Peterson et al. (2002)²⁹⁾	Assessor blinded RCT	N=230 Inclusion criteria: Low back pain with or without leg pain, aged between 18–60 years, chronic low back pain.	Group 1 (n=132): McKenzie treatment. Consisted of an initial physical assessment, followed by self-mobilizing repetitive activities or sustained positions performed in specific directions, the application of manual overpressure, and/or mobilization by the physiotherapist. Group 2 (n=128): The strengthening training. Involved 5–10 minutes on a fixed bike followed by 10 minutes of warm up exercises of low intensity for the lumbopelvic muscles.	MLBPRS	The effectiveness of the McKenzie treatment equaled that of intensive strengthening training in reducing incapacity and intensity of pain. However, the McKenzie treatment has some potential, compared to strength training in the treatment of chronic low back pain.

Kuppusamy et al. (2013)³⁾	Assessor blinded RCT	N=30 Inclusion criteria: Aged between 20–65-year chronic low back pain.	Group 1 (n=15): McKenzie Exercise. After examination, patients were allocated according to one of four symptom classifications. Group 2 (n=15): Mat Based Pilates Exercise. These exercises were performed in six to 10 repetitions with progressive difficulty if needed and stretches were held for 30 seconds.	NRS RMDQ ROM	No significant difference observed between groups and there is improvement in both groups in terms of pain, disability and trunk flexion and trunk extension.

VAS: Visual analogue scale; ODQ: Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (OSW); FTF: Fingertip-to-Floor Disability; ROM: Range of Motion; NRS: Numerical rating scale; RMDQ: Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire; WHOQOL-BREF: World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF; FRI: Functional Rating Index; MPQ: McGill pain Questionnaire; FSQ: Functional Status Questionnaire; SLR: Straight Leg Raising; PSEQ: Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire; TSK: Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia; PLCS: Pain Locus of Control Scale; TrA: Tranverse abdominis; MF: Multifidus; MLBPRS: Manniche’s Low Back Pain Rating Scale.