| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: Brazil, healthcare
Exercise groups: 1
Comparison groups: 1 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 33 (E1 = 17, C1 = 16)
Chronic LBP duration: 68.5 months (long)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: No participants
Mean age (years): 43
Sex (female): 70% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Twenty minutes walking, general stretching and strengthening in bridge position; type = mixed; duration = 9 weeks; dose = low; design = standardised; delivery = group; additional intervention = none
Comparison Group 1 (C1): Other conservative treatment (psychological therapy) |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Low Back Pain Rating Scale (Manniche)); function (Roland‐Morris Disability Questionnaire)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 9 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 |
A randomisation sequence was generated using a random numbers table. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Concealment of allocation was ensured by the use of sequentially numbered sealed opaque envelopes. |
| 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 |
Low risk |
The patients were assessed by blinded examiners at baseline, nine weeks, and six months. |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Twelve patients were not able to return to the triage centre for the nine‐week assessment, and six patients could not be contacted for the phone interview. |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
Unclear risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Groups similar at baseline (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Table 1 summarised the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the participants in the exercise and psychotherapy groups at baseline. |
| Co‐interventions avoided or similar (performance bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Compliance acceptable in all groups (performance bias) |
High risk |
The adherence to treatment was similar in both groups. |
| Timing of outcome assessment similar in all groups (detection bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
