| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: Turkey, healthcare
Exercise groups: 3
Comparison groups: 0 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 55 (E1 = 19, E2 = 18, E3 = 18)
Chronic LBP duration: 51 months (long)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: Some participants
Mean age (years): 40
Sex (female): 78% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Aerobic exercise performed on the treadmill and flexion, extension, and stretching (double knee to chest, and alternate arm and leg lifts) 15‐20 repetitions once daily; type = mixed; duration = 6 weeks; dose = high; design = partially individualised; delivery = not specified; additional intervention = advice/education
Exercise Group 2 (E2): Flexion, extension, and stretching (double knee to chest, and alternate arm and leg lifts) 15‐20 repetitions once daily; type = mixed; duration = 6 weeks; dose = low; design = standardised; delivery = individual; additional intervention = advice/education
Exercise Group 3 (E3): Flexion, extension, and stretching (double knee to chest, and alternate arm and leg lifts) 15‐20 repetitions once daily; type = mixed; duration = 6 weeks; dose = low; design = standardised; delivery = independent; additional intervention = advice/education & electrotherapy & heat/ice |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Visual Analogue Scale); function (Roland‐Morris Disability Questionnaire)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 6 weeks (short); 13 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 |
The patients were randomly assigned to one of the three groups using a sequence of random numbers before baseline assessments were performed. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
High risk |
Not described |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Not described |
| Blinding of care provider (performance bias) |
High risk |
Not described |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Not described |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
One patient from Group 1 could not complete the treatment programme due to vertigo and one patient from Group 2 was dropped out because of surgery. |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
High risk |
Completers analysed only |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Groups similar at baseline (selection bias) |
Low risk |
No significant differences were observed between the groups. |
| Co‐interventions avoided or similar (performance bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Compliance acceptable in all groups (performance bias) |
Low risk |
One patient from Group 2, and two patients from Group 3 were dropped out because of the poor compliance to the treatment. |
| Timing of outcome assessment similar in all groups (detection bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
