Akbari 2008.

Methods	Randomised controlled trial
Participants	58 participants included (29 motor control, 29 general exercise) Inclusion criteria: patients were selected based on the following inclusion criteria: non‐specific LBP with or without leg pain of at least 3 months duration, aged greater than 18 and less than 80 years, suitable for motor control exercise based on clinical assessment. The patients must also have sufficient knowledge of the Persian language to understand instructions Exclusion criteria: patients were excluded if they had suspected or confirmed serious spinal pathology, suspected or confirmed pregnancy, nerve root compromise (2 of strength, reflex or sensation affected for same nerve root), spinal surgery, and any of the contraindications to exercise listed on page 42 of the ACSM guidelines. Specific spinal pathology or contraindication to treatment may be suspected based on the results of the screening questionnaires
Interventions	16 individually supervised half‐hour sessions of an exercise programme, of 8 weeks duration, 2 sessions per week, was performed for both groups in Razmejo‐Moghadam Physiotherapy Clinic Motor control exercise: low‐load activation of the local stabilising muscles was initially administered, isometrically and in minimally loaded positions (4‐point kneeling, supine lying, sitting, standing). Patients were taught how to contract these muscles independently from the superficial trunk muscles. Progressively, the holding time was increased to the point where patients were able to perform 10 contractions with 10‐second holds, during normal respiration (weeks 1 and 2). The clinical measure used to ensure correct activation of the TA was to observe a slight drawing in manoeuvre of the lower part of the anterior abdominal wall below the umbilical level, consistent with the action of this muscle. In addition, a bulging action of the multifidus muscle should have been felt under the physical therapist's fingers when they were placed on either side of the spinous processes of the L4 and L5 vertebral levels, directly over the belly of this muscle General exercise: this exercise activates paravertebral and abdominal muscles. This exercise imposes extra loading on the spinal tissues, therefore the general exercise was selected on the basis of maximising the contraction benefit/spinal loading ratio, according to the recommendations provided from recent experimental studies
Outcomes	Pain (NRS 0 to 10)
Notes	—
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	"Patients were randomised through a physical therapist generated random number sequence"
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not enough information regarding allocation concealment
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	High risk	No mention of any attempts to blind the participants
Blinding of personnel/care provider (performance bias) All outcomes	High risk	No mention of any attempts to blind the care provider
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	High risk	Not considered as patients were not blinded
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	The percentage of withdrawals and dropouts was within the acceptable rate
Intention‐to‐treat analysis	High risk	Did not analyse all patients randomised
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	No previous protocol or trial registration, but it was clear that the published report included all expected outcomes
Group similarity at baseline (selection bias)	Low risk	Patients did not differ in their baseline characteristics
Co‐interventions (performance bias)	Unclear risk	Not described
Compliance (performance bias)	Low risk	"Sixteen individually supervised half‐hour sessions exercise program which lasted 8 weeks and twice per week was performed for both groups"
Timing of outcome assessment (detection bias)	Low risk	All important outcome assessments for both groups were measured at the same time