| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: South Korea, general population
Exercise groups: 2
Comparison groups: 0 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 46 (E1 = 25, E2 = 21)
Chronic LBP duration: Not specified (moderate)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: No participants
Mean age (years): 50
Sex (female): 48% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Five core stabilisation exercises; type = core strengthening; duration = 4 weeks; dose = low; design = partially individualised; delivery = independent with follow‐up; additional intervention = none
Exercise Group 2 (E2): Five spinal flexibility exercises; type = flexibility/mobilising; duration = 4 weeks; dose = low; design = partially individualised; delivery = independent with follow‐up; additional intervention = none |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Function (Oswestry Disability Index)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 4 weeks (short) |
| Notes |
Conflicts of interest: Not reported
Funding source: Cleveland State University; Korea University and the Basic Science Research Program, National Research Foundation of Korea, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2010‐0003015)
Other: None |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
The randomisation procedure was conducted by a computer program. |
| 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 |
High risk |
Assumed not possible |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Figure 3 |
| 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 |
Overall, there were no differences between groups in age, height, body weight or the months since pain onset. |
| Co‐interventions avoided or similar (performance bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Compliance acceptable in all groups (performance bias) |
Unclear risk |
Adherence was mentioned as being measured but not reported on. |
| Timing of outcome assessment similar in all groups (detection bias) |
Low risk |
Support for judgement was not available. |
