| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: England, general population
Exercise groups: 1
Comparison groups: 1 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 34 (E1 = 20, C1 = 14)
Chronic LBP duration: 10 years (long)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: No participants
Mean age (years): 41
Sex (female): 79% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Ten Pilates exercises using neutral spine and pelvis, recruitment of core muscles; type = Pilates; duration = 6 weeks; dose = low; design = partially individualised; delivery = group; additional intervention = none
Comparison Group 1 (C1): Usual care/no treatment (control group: continued with normal activity) |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Visual Analogue Scale); function (Oswestry Disability Index); HRQoL (12‐Item Short Form Survey)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 6 weeks (short) |
| Notes |
Conflicts of interest: Not reported
Funding source: Not reported
Other: Information modified for author contact |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Author contact: random number allocated to physical therapy corresponding with allocation |
| 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 |
Low risk |
Pre and post the six weeks intervention, a questionnaire‐based assessment and a functional assessment were performed. |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Twenty‐five participants were allocated to the Pilates group and 24 to the control group. Fifteen participants did not complete the trial. |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
High risk |
Thirty‐four participants completed all aspects of the trial with 20 in Pilates group and 14 in the control group. |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Groups similar at baseline (selection bias) |
High risk |
No significant differences were found between the control group and Pilates group in baseline data. |
| Co‐interventions avoided or similar (performance bias) |
Low risk |
Pilates was applied as an additional intervention to the current drug treatment, including analgesics, with both groups encouraged to make no changes. |
| Compliance acceptable in all groups (performance bias) |
Low risk |
The attendance of classes by the Pilates group was excellent with an overall attendance of 16/20 participants attending all sessions. |
| Timing of outcome assessment similar in all groups (detection bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
