Effects of 12-week lumbar stabilization exercise and sling exercise on lumbosacral region angle, lumbar muscle strength, and pain scale of patients with chronic low back pain.
Kwang-Jun Ko, Gi-Chul Ha, Young-Sook Yook and 1 others
PMID 29410558WHAT IT FOUND
Twelve weeks of lumbar stabilization or sling exercises improved muscle strength, flexibility, and pain scores in adults with chronic low back pain.
However, neither exercise changed spinal angles, so these programmes do not appear to correct structural alignment.
Key findings
01Both exercise groups showed significant improvements in lumbar muscle strength, flexibility, and pain scores compared to baseline, while the control group did not.
02Neither exercise intervention produced significant changes in lumbar lordosis, lumbosacral angle, or sacral slope.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (29 participants), which limits the generalizability of the findings. The study did not report whether the control group received any intervention or was waitlisted, making it unclear if improvements were due to exercise or other factors like attention. The paper reports statistical significance (p-values) but does not provide effect sizes or confidence intervals, making it difficult to judge the clinical magnitude of the improvements.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest or funding sources are reported in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these exercises correct spinal deformity or alignment. The study found no significant change in lumbar lordosis or lumbosacral angles, so benefits are likely functional (strength, pain, flexibility) rather than structural.