PURPOSE: This study applied active rehabilitation therapy to muscular back strength and assessed the subjective pain degree in chronic low back pain patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: experimental (n = 8) and control (n = 8). The experimental group performed two types of rehabilitation therapy programs four times per week for eight weeks. The rehabilitation program was based on the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency's program. There were several types of stretching and strengthening. Back strength was measured using the Back Muscle Dynamometer TKK-5402. The visual analog scale score, selected to measure degrees of subjective pain, was used to assess treatment efficacy. RESULTS: For the experimental group, muscular back strength increased from 133.90 +/- 11.84 kg before exercise to 145.59 +/- 14.49 kg after exercise. In the control group, muscular back strength decreased from 133.92 +/- 3.84 kg before exercise to 133.90 +/- 5.81 kg after exercise. In the experimental group, the visual analog scale score for subjective pain decreased from 6.63 +/- 0.52 before exercise to 5.75 +/- 0.46 after exercise; in the control group, it decreased from 5.61 +/- 0.52 before exercise to 5.61 +/- 0.52 after exercise. CONCLUSION: Active rehabilitation therapy is a positive intervention that can provide relief from back pain.

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