Exercise Prescription for Patients With Persistent Low Back Pain Who Present With Impaired Lateral Abdominal Muscle Activation: A Delphi Survey.
Caitlin Lauren Siobhan Prentice, Carol Ann Flavell, Nicola Massy-Westropp and 1 others
PMID 40227086WHAT IT FOUND
Expert physiotherapists agreed on a 4–12 week exercise plan for persistent low back pain with lateral abdominal muscle issues.
Start with daily motor control work, then progress to endurance and strength using bird dogs and bridges, while keeping the program individualized.
Key findings
01Participants reached consensus that exercise programs for this population should last 4–12 weeks, beginning with motor control exercises practiced daily or most days of the week.
02After addressing motor control, the consensus was to progress the focus to muscle endurance and then strength, using specific exercises like bird dogs and bridges.
03There was strong agreement that programs must be individualized to the patient's preferences and lifestyle, and that language should be careful to avoid making patients fixate on impairments.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study reports expert opinion, not patient outcomes, so it does not prove these exercises work. Attrition was high, with only 15 of 23 initial participants completing the final round. Most participants were from Australia, limiting generalizability to other healthcare contexts. The sample size was small, which can make the consensus less representative of all clinicians.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat this consensus as evidence that this specific exercise progression is superior to other treatments. The study only reports what experts believe should be done, not what was tested in patients.