| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: Brazil, healthcare
Exercise groups: 1
Comparison groups: 1 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 55 (E1 = 30, C1 = 25)
Chronic LBP duration: Not specified (not specified)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: Some participants
Mean age (years): 38
Sex (female): 55% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Stretching of various muscle groups, in 6 sequences, followed by 30 seconds rest periods between stretches; type = stretching; duration = 8 weeks; dose = low; design = standardised; delivery = individual; additional intervention = none
Comparison Group 1 (C1): Usual care/no treatment (control group: no intervention) |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Visual Analogue Scale); function (Oswestry Disability Index)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 8 weeks (short); 16 weeks (moderate) |
| Notes |
Conflicts of interest: None to declare
Funding source: No funding received
Other: None |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
High risk |
Randomised in order of arriving at clinic |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear 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 |
Seven/62 dropped out ‐ mainly because of return to work after sick leave. |
| 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 |
No significant differences between baseline characteristics |
| 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. |
