| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: Poland, healthcare
Exercise groups: 2
Comparison groups: 0 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 60 (E1 = 30, E2 = 30)
Chronic LBP duration: Not specified (not specified)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: Not specified
Mean age (years): Not reported
Sex (female): 100% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Strengthening exercises for the abdominal, gluteal, hip, and back muscles, post‐isometric relaxation of muscles, active mobilisations, stretches; type = mixed; duration = 2 weeks; dose = low; design = individualised; delivery = individual; additional intervention = lumbar support & other
Exercise Group 2 (E2): Strengthening exercises for abdominal, back, and thigh muscles and buttocks, stretching exercises for dorsal muscles, hip flexors and ischiotibial muscle, respiratory exercises; type = stretching & strengthening; duration = 2 weeks; dose = low; design = standardised; delivery = group; additional intervention = electrotherapy |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Visual Analogue Scale); function (Oswestry Disability Index)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 2 weeks (short) |
| Notes |
Conflicts of interest: Not reported
Funding source: Not reported
Other: SDs imputed |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Patients were randomly assigned to two groups of 30. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
High risk |
Not described |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Assumed not possible |
| Blinding of care provider (performance bias) |
High risk |
Assumed not possible |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Not described |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Dropout rate not reported |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
Yes |
| Groups similar at baseline (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Co‐interventions avoided or similar (performance bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Compliance acceptable in all groups (performance bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Timing of outcome assessment similar in all groups (detection bias) |
Low risk |
Yes |
