| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: Brazil, healthcare
Exercise groups: 1
Comparison groups: 1 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 60 (E1 = 30, C1 = 30)
Chronic LBP duration: Not specified (not specified)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: Some participants
Mean age (years): 46
Sex (female): 72% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Global muscular relaxation, exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles with and without biofeedback; type = strengthening; duration = 8 weeks; dose = low; design = standardised; delivery = group; additional intervention = psychological therapy & anti‐inflammatory/analgesics
Comparison Group 1 (C1): Other conservative treatment (anti‐inflammatory/analgesics) |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Visual Analogue Scale); function (Roland‐Morris Disability Questionnaire)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 8 weeks (short) |
| 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) |
Unclear risk |
Patients were randomised in either the control group or the treatment groups. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
High 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 |
Low risk |
The instruments used for assessment were a Visual Analogue Scale, Schober Index, Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire, Becks Depression Scale. |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Seven patients were excluded as a result of being absent during the two‐month period, and one from the treatment group due to reported symptoms. |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
High risk |
Not included |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Groups similar at baseline (selection bias) |
Low risk |
The groups were homogenous in relation to demographic variables (Table 1). |
| Co‐interventions avoided or similar (performance bias) |
Unclear risk |
Both groups were instructed to use paracetamol, 500 mg, every six hours, if necessary, when feeling pain. |
| Compliance acceptable in all groups (performance bias) |
Low risk |
Not described |
| Timing of outcome assessment similar in all groups (detection bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
