Curative effect of long-term intervention using a new device in patients with chronic low back pain.
Meng Ge, Ko Onoda, Hitoshi Maruyama and 5 others
PMID 34776621WHAT IT FOUND
In adults with chronic low back pain, using a specialized training bed to guide simultaneous abdominal and pelvic floor contraction increased muscle thickness and reduced pain more than standard supine or sitting training.
The device appears to help patients engage deep core muscles more effectively than position alone.
Key findings
01After 8 weeks, the new device group showed the greatest increase in transverse abdominis muscle thickness compared to supine and sitting training groups.
02Pain scores decreased significantly after training in both the supine and new device groups, but the reduction was greater in the new device group.
03Sitting training increased muscle thickness but did not result in a significant reduction in pain scores.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study did not blind participants or therapists to the intervention, which could influence self-reported pain scores. The control groups received no active intervention, so it is unclear if the benefits were due to the device itself or simply the effect of receiving any structured training compared to no training. The sample size was relatively small (n=60), and the groups were unevenly distributed (e.g., only 10 in the no-training group). The study did not report long-term follow-up beyond 8 weeks, so it is unknown if the gains in muscle thickness and pain reduction were sustained.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. However, the lead author stated they led the team that developed the device, which may introduce bias in the interpretation of results.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the device is superior to all other core exercises; it was only compared to unassisted supine and sitting training. The significant pain reduction in the device group may be partly due to the specific angles facilitating easier muscle contraction, which might not translate to all patient populations or settings without similar equipment.