Table 2.
Characteristics of included studies
| First Author, Year | Country of study | Intervention group(Sample Size) | Control group(Sample Size) | Intervention group (Type of exercise) | Control group (Type of exercise) | Intervention time | Follow up time | Outcomes measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abadi et al. 2019 [15] | Sultan | 19 | 20 | aquatic exercise | physiotherapy exercise + no exercise | 60 min 2 × /wk 12wks | —— | modified Oswestry questionnaire |
| Bello et al. 2010 [16] | Ghana | 6 | 6 | water-based exercises | land-based exercises | 45-60 min 2 × /wk 6wks | —— | Pain: VAS; Trunk flexibility: MSFT,MSET |
| Costantino et al. 2014 [17] | Italy | 27 | 27 | hydrotherapy | physiotherapy treatment | 60 min 2 × /wk 12wks | 3mons | RMDQ;SF-36 |
| Cuesta-Vargas et al. 2011 [18] | Spain | 23 | 23 | MMPTP + DWR | MMPTP | 60 min 3 × /wk 15wks | —— | pain: VAS; disability: RMDQ; general health:SF-12; physical function: MISL test, dual inclinometer, Biering Sorensen test |
| Cuesta-Vargas et al. 2012 [19] | Spain | 25 | 24 | GP + DWR | GP | 30 min 3 × /wk 16wks | 48wks | pain: VAS; disability: RMDQ; general health: SF-12 |
| Dundar et al. 2009 [20] | Turkey | 32 | 33 | aquatic exercise | land-based exercise | 60 min 5 × /wk 4wks | 12wks | spinal mobility: modified Schober test; lumbal flexion/extension and rotation: inclinometer, goniometer; pain: VAS; disability: MOLBDQ; quality of life:SF-36 |
| Han et al. 2011 [21] | Korea | 9 | 10 | aquatic exercise | no exercise | 50 min 5 × /wk 10wks | —— | VAS; muscle strength |
| Mahfouz et al. 2018 [22] | Egypt | 20 | 20 | aquatic therapy | conventional physical therapy | 60 min 6wks | —— | pain: VAS; Disability: ODI; lumbar flexion; Lumbar extension |
| Nardin et al. 2022 [23] | Brazil | 20 | 20 | PBM + DWR | PBM | 65 min 2 × /wk 4wks | —— | IPAQ-SF; ODI; VAS; 6-min walk test cortisol level; creatine kinase levels |
| Peng et al. 2022 [24] | China | 56 | 57 | therapeutic aquatic exercise | Physical therapy modalities | 60 min 2 × /wk 12wks | 12mons | RMDQ; NRS; SF-36; SAS; SDS; PSQI; PASS; TSK; FABQ |
| Sawant et al. 2019 [25] | India | 15 | 15 | hydrotherapy | conventional therapy | —— | —— | VAS; MODI |
| Yalfani et al. 2020 [26] | Iran | 12 | 12 | water pilates | mat pilates | 75 min 3 × /wk 8wks | —— | pain: VAS; disability: ODQ; balance: BBS |
| Yücesoy et al. 2021 [27] | Turkey | 33 | 33 | balneological + home exercise | home exercise | 40 min 5 × /wk 2wks | 3mons | pain: VAS, ODI; PGA; DGA; FFD; modified Schober test; SF-36 |
Note: VAS Visual Analogue Scale, MSFT Modified Schober Flexion Technique, MSET Modified Schober Extension Technique, RMDQ Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, SF-36 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, MMPTP Multimodal Physical Therapy Program, DWR Deep-Water Running, SF-12 Short-Form 12, MISL Maximum Isometric Strength of Lumbar, GP General practice, MOLBDQ The modifified Oswestry low back disability questionnaire, ODI Oswestry Disability Index, PBM Photobiomodulation therapy, IPAQ-SF International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form, NRS Numeric Rating Scale, SAS Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, SDS Zung Self-rating Depression Scale, PSQI Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PASS Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale, TSK Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, FABQ Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire, MODI Modified Oswestry Disability Index, ODQ Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire, BBS Biodex Balance System, PGA Patient’s global assessment, DGA physician’s global assessment, FFD finger-to-floor distance