PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the immediate changes in patients with chronic lower-back pain (LBP) following LBP exercises and direct stretching (DS) of the tensor fasciae latae, the hamstrings and the adductor magnus. SUBJECTS: Five females and five males patients with chronic LBP participated in the study. METHOD: Exercise therapy of proven effectiveness was performed as the control intervention and DS of the tensor fasciae latae, the hamstrings and the adductor magnus was performed as the experimental intervention in a randomized controlled trial. Pain on a visual analogue scale (VAS), Finger Floor Distance (FFD), maximum pelvic anterior inclination, maximum pelvic posterior inclination, pelvic range of motion (ROM) and posterior lumbar flexibility (PLF) were measured before and after the intervention. The six items measured were evaluated in a random order, and analysed using Student's t-test with significance accepted at less than 5%. RESULTS: Significant improvements in VAS, FFD, maximum pelvic anterior inclination, maximum pelvic posterior inclination, pelvic ROM and PLF were observed after the DS intervention. However, the only improvement observed after the control intervention was in VAS. CONCLUSION: The results study has suggest that DS may have an immediate effect on chronic LBP.

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