| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: China, healthcare
Exercise groups: 2
Comparison groups: 0 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 47 (E1 = 23, E2 = 24)
Chronic LBP duration: 7.9 months (moderate)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: Some participants
Mean age (years): 30
Sex (female): 45% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Lumbar strengthening and pelvic floor exercises; type = strengthening; duration = 24 weeks; dose = high; design = standardised; delivery = group; additional intervention = electrotherapy
Exercise Group 2 (E2): Lumbar strengthening exercises; type = strengthening; duration = 24 weeks; dose = high; 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: 24 weeks (moderate) |
| Notes |
Conflicts of interest: None to declare
Funding source: Science and Technology Development Fund of Shanghai Pudong (PKJ2008‐Y39); Program of Shanghai Pudong Subject Chief Scientist (PWRd2010‐06); Science and Technology Development Fund of Shanghai Pudong (PKJ2011‐Y05)
Other: None |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
No info given other than saying the trial was "double‐blind, randomized, controlled" |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Used opaque closed envelopes. |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Blinding of care provider (performance bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
In flow chart |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
High risk |
Not described |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Groups similar at baseline (selection bias) |
Low risk |
There were no statistically significant between‐group differences in any characteristic at baseline. |
| 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 |
Support for judgement was not available. |
