| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: South Korea, healthcare
Exercise groups: 2
Comparison groups: 0 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 21 (E1 = 11, E2 = 10)
Chronic LBP duration: 11.8 months (moderate)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: No participants
Mean age (years): 28
Sex (female): 33% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Sixteen stabilisation exercises to activate the deep lumbar stabilising muscle groups; type = core strengthening; duration = 8 weeks; dose = low; design = partially individualised; delivery = not specified; additional intervention = not specified
Exercise Group 2 (E2): Fourteen dynamic lumbar strengthening exercises to activate the extensor and flexor muscle groups; type = strengthening; duration = 8 weeks; dose = low; design = partially individualised; delivery = not specified; additional intervention = not specified |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Visual Analogue Scale); function (Oswestry Disability Index)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 8 weeks (short) |
| Notes |
Conflicts of interest: None to declare
Funding source: Not reported
Other: Information modified for author contact, SDs imputed |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Using computer‐generated random number sequence |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Author contact: did not provide clarity |
| 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 |
Two patients in the lumbar dynamic strengthening exercise group and one patient in the lumbar stabilisation exercise group dropped out. |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
High 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 |
There were no significant differences in the general characteristics or the baseline Visual Analogue Scale and Oswestry Disability Index scores. |
| Co‐interventions avoided or similar (performance bias) |
Low risk |
Author contact: advised against other co‐interventions, but did not assess |
| Compliance acceptable in all groups (performance bias) |
Low risk |
Author contact: modified response |
| Timing of outcome assessment similar in all groups (detection bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
