| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Study design: RCT
Setting: South Korea, general population
Exercise groups: 2
Comparison groups: 0 |
| Participants |
Number of participants: 40 (E1 = 20, E2 = 20)
Chronic LBP duration: 20.53 months (moderate)
Neurological/radicular symptoms: Not specified
Mean age (years): 51
Sex (female): 52% |
| Interventions |
Exercise Group 1 (E1): Core stabilisation exercises in hook lying position, adding ankle dorsiflexion to the drawing in of the abdominal wall with ultrasound biofeedback; type = core strengthening; duration = 8 weeks; dose = low; design = standardised; delivery = not specified; additional intervention = advice/education & manual therapy
Exercise Group 2 (E2): Core stabilisation exercises in hook lying position: add ankle dorsiflexion to the drawing in of the abdominal wall with ultrasound biofeedback; type = core strengthening; duration = 8 weeks; dose = low; design = standardised; delivery = not specified; additional intervention = advice/education & manual therapy |
| Outcomes |
Core outcomes reported: Pain (Visual Analogue Scale); function (Roland‐Morris Disability Questionnaire)
Follow‐up time periods available for syntheses: 8 weeks (short); 16 weeks (moderate) |
| Notes |
Conflicts of interest: Not reported
Funding source: No funding received
Other: SDs imputed |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Randomisation was done with sealed envelopes. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
The investigator prepared group allocation on a sheet of paper and gave it to subjects in a blinded manner. |
| 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 |
Support for judgement was not available. |
| Participants analysed in group allocated (attrition bias) |
Low 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 difference which indicated that the groups had similar demographic 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. |
