| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT (NCT01611792)
Setting: USA, not specified
Exercise groups: 2
Comparison groups: 0 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 38 (E1 = 20, E2 = 18)
Chronic LBP duration: Not specified (not specified)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: Not specified
Mean age (years): 41
Sex (female): 53% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Strength and conditioning physical therapy including general trunk strengthening and endurance exercises; type = strengthening; duration = 10 weeks; dose = high; design = standardised; delivery = not specified; additional intervention = not specified
Exercise Group 2 (E2): Stabilisation physical therapy including specific exercises to improve control of deep trunk muscles; type = core strengthening; duration = 10 weeks; dose = high; design = standardised; delivery = not specified; additional intervention = not specified |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Numeric Rating Scale); function (Oswestry Disability Index)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 11 weeks (short); 26 weeks (moderate) |
| Notes |
Conflicts of interest: Not reported
Funding source: National Institutes of Health NIH2R01HD040909 (PI: Henry SM)
Other: Sufficient data not available for inclusion in meta‐analyses |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Randomised based on a covariate adaptive randomisation scheme |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear 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 |
Treatment assignments were transmitted to the study treating physiotherapist. |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Assumed not possible |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Dropout rate was high (6/29 in stabilisation group and 7/29 in strengthening group completed). |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
Unclear risk |
Paper reported yes, but Figure seemed to be missing some subjects. |
| 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) |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Compliance acceptable in all groups (performance bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Timing of outcome assessment similar in all groups (detection bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
