The Effect of Four-week Exercise in water Water on the Disability, Flexibility, and Strength of Spinal Muscle in Middle-aged Men with Non-specific Chronic Low Back Pain

Non-specific chronic low back pain is the most common type of chronic low back pain in todaychr('39')s society and achieving a therapeutic exercise program has always been the focus of improvement in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain. The current study aims at investigating the effects of four-week exercise in the water on the disability, flexibility, and muscle strength of middle-aged men with non-specific chronic low back pain.

 In the present quasi-experimental study, 25 middle-aged men with nonspecific chronic low back pain referred to Noorafshar Hospital in Tehran were randomly divided into two groups, exercise in water (n = 13) and control (n = 12). The training group carried out the selected exercise for 4 weeks and 3 sessions in a week. Before and after the exercise protocol, disability, flexor and extensor muscles strength, and hamstring flexibility were measured using the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, Straight Leg Lowering test, Dynamometer, and SLR Test, respectively. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using Paired t-test (intra-group changes) and independent t-test (inter-group differences). 

After the intervention, the level of disability in the experimental group was significantly reduced compared to the control group (P = 0.001). Also hamstring flexibility (P = 0.001) and the strength (P = 0.001) and flexibility of trunk flexor muscles (P = 0.001) were significantly increased in the experimental group.

 The results of the present study indicated that exercise in water could have positive effects on reducing disability, increasing hamstring flexibility and trunk muscle strength in men with nonspecific chronic low back pain. Therefore, exercise in water recommended as a method for middle-aged men with non-specific chronic low back pain that has trunk muscle weakness, reduced hamstring flexibility, and increased disability. However, a comprehensive statement on this issue requires further study in this area.