Effects of Core Stabilization on Lumbopelvic Motor Control and Pain in Patients with Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Aims :

Pain and altered motor control are consequences of chronic low back pain (LBP). The present study aimed to assess the effects of a six-week Swiss ball core stabilization program on pain levels and lumbopelvic motor control in patients suffering from nonspecific LBP.

Materials & Methods :

This randomized clinical pilot study involved 24 participants (12 females and 12 males) who were diagnosed with nonspecific chronic LBP (mean age=42.08±7.05 years). Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: experimental (n=12) and control (n=12). The experimental group underwent a six-week intervention of core stability exercises, while the control group received routine physical therapy. The primary outcome measured was pain intensity using a visual analog scale ranging from 0-10. Secondary outcomes included lumbopelvic motor control, which was assessed using various tests, such as the knee lift abdominal test, bent knee fall-out test, Waiter's Bow test, sitting knee extension test, and transversus abdominis test. Evaluations were conducted at three time points: baseline, the end of a six-week intervention, and after one month of follow-up.

Findings :

The core intervention resulted in a significant increase in motor control during the post-test (P<.001; Cohen's d=6.04), although this effect did not persist in the follow-up assessment. Moreover, a significant decrease in pain intensity was observed both during the post-test (P<.001; Cohen's d=3.31) and follow-up (P<.001; Cohen's d=2.98) periods. Furthermore, significant differences were identified between the two groups in all outcome measures following the intervention (P<.05).

Compared to routine physical therapy, the six-week core stability exercises on the Swiss ball resulted in marked improvements in pain intensity and lumbopelvic motor control in patients with nonspecific chronic LBP.