| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: England, healthcare
Exercise groups: 1
Comparison groups: 1 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 286 (E1 = 144, C1 = 142)
Chronic LBP duration: Not specified (not specified)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: Some participants
Mean age (years): 41
Sex (female): 53% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Stretching, strengthening, and mobility exercises; type = mixed; duration = 8 weeks; dose = low; design = individualised; delivery = individual; additional intervention = advice/education & other & physiotherapy
Comparison Group 1 (C1): Other conservative treatment (education) |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Function (Oswestry Disability Index); HRQoL (36‐Item Short Form Survey); Global Perceived Health or Recovery (Global Perceived Health or Recovery (overall perceived benefit from treatment))
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 8 weeks (short); 24 weeks (moderate); 52 weeks (long) |
| Notes |
Conflicts of interest: None to declare
Funding source: Arthritis Research Campaign
Other: None |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low 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 |
High risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Unclear risk |
Support for judgement is not available |
| Groups similar at baseline (selection bias) |
Low 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) |
Low 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 |
