| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: Australia, not specified
Exercise groups: 3
Comparison groups: 0 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 39 (E1 = 12, E2 = 14, E3 = 13)
Chronic LBP duration: Not specified (not specified)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: Not specified
Mean age (years): Not reported
Sex (female): Not reported |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Four basic Pilates exercises, neutral spine exercise and relaxation posture; type = Pilates; duration = 6 weeks; dose = low; design = standardised; delivery = independent with follow‐up; additional intervention = advice/education
Exercise Group 2 (E2): Four basic Pilates exercises and a relaxation posture; type = Pilates; duration = 6 weeks; dose = low; design = standardised; delivery = independent with follow‐up; additional intervention = advice/education
Exercise Group 3 (E3): Four basic Pilates exercises; type = Pilates; duration = 6 weeks; dose = low; design = standardised; delivery = independent with follow‐up; additional intervention = advice/education |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Low Back Pain Rating Scale (Manniche)); function (Oswestry Disability Index)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 8 weeks (short) |
| Notes |
Conflicts of interest: Not reported
Funding source: Not reported
Other: SDs imputed. Sufficient data not available for inclusion in meta‐analyses |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Subjects were taught four basic exercises before being randomly allocated to a specific intervention group (A, B or C). |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
High risk |
Not described |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Not described |
| Blinding of care provider (performance bias) |
High risk |
Not described |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Not described |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
No dropouts |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
Low risk |
No dropouts |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Unclear risk |
Unclear |
| 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) |
High risk |
Compliance was an issue in second eight‐week period. |
| Timing of outcome assessment similar in all groups (detection bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
