OBJECTIVES: To evaluate clinical effect of deep water running (DWR) on non-specific low back pain. Outcome measures were pain, disability, general health and physical fitness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Experimental, randomized, controlled trial involving 46 persons with CLBP over 15 weeks with two experimental processes, each three times a week. Evidence-based program (EBP, personalized physical exercise program, manual therapy and health education) was the common process to which was added 20 minutes of personalized intensity DWR at the aerobic threshold. Measurements were made at the beginning and end of the study of pain, disability, general health and physical fitness. RESULTS: The pain of CLBP were homogeneous at baseline. Significant changes between group were don't found for pain in favour of the EBP+DWR group (p < 0.3). The within- group differences were highly significant for all clinical and functional variables. The effect was clinically relevant for pain in the EBP+DWR group (0.70) and in the EBP group (0.58), and for disability degree it was also relevant in the EBP+DWR group (0.48) and relevant for the EBP group (0.36). CONCLUSION: Significant improvement was seen in CLBP when EBP was complemented with the high-intensity exercise of DWR.

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