| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: Germany, healthcare
Exercise groups: 2
Comparison groups: 0 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 99 (E1 = 50, E2 = 49)
Chronic LBP duration: Not specified (not specified)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: Some participants
Mean age (years): 40
Sex (female): 34% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Isometric strengthening transversus abdominal and multifidus muscles; type = mixed; duration = not specified weeks; dose = high; design = individualised; delivery = individual; additional intervention = electrotherapy & manual therapy & heat/ice
Exercise Group 2 (E2): Strengthening of trunk muscles, stretching, McKenzie; type = strengthening & stretching; duration = not specified weeks; dose = high; design = individualised; delivery = individual; additional intervention = electrotherapy & manual therapy & heat/ice |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Numeric Rating Scale); function (Oswestry Disability Index)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 12 weeks (short); 26 weeks (moderate) |
| Notes |
Conflicts of interest: Not reported
Funding source: Not reported
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) |
Low 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) |
Low 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 |
