| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: India, healthcare
Exercise groups: 1
Comparison groups: 1 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 60 (E1 = 30, C1 = 30)
Chronic LBP duration: Not specified (moderate)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: No participants
Mean age (years): 35
Sex (female): 66% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Strengthening exercises and lumbar extension training to improve strength of low back, partial sit‐ups and pelvic tilt; type = core strengthening; duration = 3 weeks; dose = high; design = not specified; delivery = not specified; additional intervention = anti‐inflammatory/analgesics
Comparison Group 1 (C1): Other conservative treatment (electrotherapy) |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Visual Analogue Scale); Global Perceived Health or Recovery (Global Perceived Health or Recovery (Global Perceived Effect scale))
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 3 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 |
To remove bias, with the help of a computer‐generated randomisation list, the patients were divided in two study groups of 30 patients each. |
| 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 |
Assumed not possible |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
No dropouts |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
Low risk |
No dropouts |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Groups similar at baseline (selection bias) |
Low risk |
There was no significant difference in mean age and sex ratio between the various groups. |
| 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. |
