| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: Hungary, occupational
Exercise groups: 1
Comparison groups: 1 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 111 (E1 = 56, C1 = 55)
Chronic LBP duration: 29 weeks (moderate)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: Some participants
Mean age (years): 32
Sex (female): 17% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Ergonomic training exercises, strengthening and stretching exercises, home exercise; type = strengthening & stretching; duration = 6 weeks; dose = low; design = standardised; delivery = group; additional intervention = advice/education & back school
Comparison Group 1 (C1): Other conservative treatment (physical therapy) |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Visual Analogue Scale)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 6 weeks (short); 26 weeks (moderate); 52 weeks (long) |
| 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) |
High risk |
The participant's names were listed in alphabetic order and each second participant was selected for intervention group. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Blinding of care provider (performance bias) |
High risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Some dropouts |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
High risk |
Only the 111 were analysed. |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Groups similar at baseline (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Co‐interventions avoided or similar (performance bias) |
Low risk |
During the intervention study, participants were not given any other further therapies based on the medical recommendations. |
| Compliance acceptable in all groups (performance bias) |
Unclear risk |
Only mentioned how many days per week on average people exercised |
| Timing of outcome assessment similar in all groups (detection bias) |
Low risk |
Measurements were taken at baseline, after the interventions and at the six‐months and one‐year follow‐up visits. |
