| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: Belgium, healthcare
Exercise groups: 2
Comparison groups: 1 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 58 (E1 = 20, E2 = 19, C1 = 19)
Chronic LBP duration: Not specified (not specified)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: Some participants
Mean age (years): 44
Sex (female): 57% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Progressive strengthening and stabilising muscle exercises with loading, stretching, Back School‐type exercises; type = mixed; duration = 7 weeks; dose = low; design = individualised; delivery = individual; additional intervention = advice/education & manual therapy
Exercise Group 2 (E2): Progressive strengthening and stabilising muscle exercises without load and stretching; type = core strengthening & stretching; duration = 5 weeks; dose = low; design = individualised; delivery = individual; additional intervention = advice/education & manual therapy
Comparison Group 1 (C1): Other conservative treatment (manual therapy, education) |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Visual Analogue Scale); function (Roland‐Morris Disability Questionnaire)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 7 weeks (short); 13 weeks (moderate) |
| 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 |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Blinding of care provider (performance bias) |
High risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
Unclear risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Groups similar at baseline (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Co‐interventions avoided or similar (performance bias) |
Unclear risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Compliance acceptable in all groups (performance bias) |
Unclear risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Timing of outcome assessment similar in all groups (detection bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
