The Effect of Eight Weeks of Motor Control Exercises and Myofascial Release on the Range of Motion of the Lumbar Spine and Disability in People with Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain

Low back pain is a major health problem worldwide with a clear social and economic impact and is a leading cause of years of disability and work absence. The purpose of the present study is the effect of eight weeks of motor control exercises and myofascial release on the range of motion of the lumbar spine and disability in people with non-specific chronic low back pain.

The current study is of quasi-experimental type. In this study, 16 men with non-specific chronic low back pain diagnosed by a neurosurgeon were selected in a purposeful and accessible way and were randomly and equally divided into two experimental groups (age 30.2±6.1years, body mass index 23.7±3.7 kg/m2) and control (age 26.2±4.8 years, body mass index 25.6±5.4 kg/m2) the experimental group performed motor control exercises and myofascial release three times a week for a period of eight weeks, and the control group performed motor control exercises similar to the experimental group during the same period of time. The range of motion of the lumbar spine (Modified – Modified Schober Test) and disability (Oswestry Disability Index) of participants was evaluated before and after eight weeks of training. Data analysis was done using repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni's post hoc test at a five percent error level and using SPSS software version 26.

Movement control exercises with and without myofascial release have caused a significant increase in the amount of range of motion of the lumbar spine and significant reduction in the severity of disability of the subjects, after training compared to before training (p<0.001). range of motion of the lumbar spine and severity of disability was not significantly different between the control and experimental groups (p>0.05). Also, there was no significant difference between the control and experimental groups in range of motion of the lumbar spine and severity of disability changes before and after training (p>0.05).

According to the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that motor control exercises with and without myofascial release can improve the of range of motion of the lumbar spine and reduction in the severity of disability in people with non-specific chronic low back pain. although the effect of motor control exercises and myofascial release on the range of motion of the lumbar spine and reduction in the severity of disability was more than motor control exercises alone, but the amount of this effect was not significant. Therefore, it is possible that both protocols can be suggested as a useful method for the rehabilitation of people with non-specific chronic low back pain.