| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: Israel, healthcare
Exercise groups: 1
Comparison groups: 1 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 40 (E1 = 20, C1 = 20)
Chronic LBP duration: Not specified (moderate)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: No participants
Mean age (years): 53
Sex (female): 100% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Core stability exercises in non‐weight‐bearing positions including supine/crook lying, side‐lying (left and right) and prone; type = core strengthening; duration = 4 weeks; dose = low; design = standardised; delivery = group; additional intervention = advice/education
Comparison Group 1 (C1): Usual care/no treatment (waiting‐list group) |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Visual Analogue Scale); function (Roland‐Morris Disability Questionnaire)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 4 weeks (short) |
| Notes |
Conflicts of interest: Not reported
Funding source: Not reported
Other: Information modified for author contact |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
An independent local staff member generated the allocation sequence with sealed envelopes. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
The method used to generate the random allocation sequence was sealed envelope. |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Assumed not possible |
| Blinding of care provider (performance bias) |
High risk |
Assumed not possible |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Assumed not possible |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
A total of 20 treatment group females and 20 control females completed the study with 100% attendance. |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
Low risk |
A total of 20 treatment group females and 20 control females completed the study with 100% attendance. |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Groups similar at baseline (selection bias) |
Low risk |
There were no significant differences between the group’s mean baseline (t0) in all measured parameters. |
| Co‐interventions avoided or similar (performance bias) |
Low risk |
Author contact: changed response to yes |
| Compliance acceptable in all groups (performance bias) |
Low risk |
One‐hundred per cent attendance |
| Timing of outcome assessment similar in all groups (detection bias) |
Low risk |
Both groups were assessed at baseline and four weeks and only the exercise group was assessed at eight weeks. |
