Stabilization Exercises and their effect on Fear-Avoidance Belief and Disability in Patients with Recurrent Nonspecific Low Back Pain

Therapeutic exercises are regarded as one of most important therapeutic interventions for patients with chronic low back pain. Stabilization exercises are among the most practical ones for these patients. Effects of these exercises on psychological factors associated with pain and consequential functional disabilities are still remained unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of stabilization exercises on fear of pain, movement and disability in patients with low back pain. Twenty one patients with recurrent non-specific low back pain (14 in experimental, 7 in control group) were participated in this study. The scores for fear of pain, fear of movement and disability were recorded in the questionnaires. The experimental group performed isolated abdominal hollowing and bracing exercises in three sets of ten for each with two minutes rest between each repeat. Patients performed exercises with the use of pressure biofeedback and under the supervision of a physiotherapist in different positions including supine, sitting on a chair, standing still and standing with rapid arm raises with maximum acceleration once a day and for 20 sessions. The variables studied in this research were evaluated in both experimental and control groups after training sessions. Performing the stabilization exercises did not affect the fear-avoidance belief (P >0.05), while decreased the disability associated with back pain (P=0.01). This study showed that the psychological fears associated with pain in patients with recurrent non-specific low back pain, which also leads to continuity of back pain cannot be alleviated by performing stabilization exercises.