OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of core stability exercise versus conventional exercise in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. METHODS: Between January 2014 and May 2017, patients with lumbar spinal stenosis were recruited and divided into group of core stability exercise or conventional exercise randomly. All the patients were treated using middle frequency electrotherapy, in addition to that, the patients in group of core stability exercise were treated using core stability exercise. The patients in group of conventional exercise were treated using conventional exercise. The outcome was evaluated using Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, self-reported walking capacity and lumbar lordosis angle at baseline and after treatment. RESULTS: In the current study, sixty-two patients with lumbar spinal stenosis met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, in which 33 patients were included in group of core stability exercise and 29 in group of conventional exercise. After treatment, both Japanese Orthopedic Association scores (p < 0.05) and self-reported walking capacity (p < 0.05) increased significantly in each group when compared with baseline. The self-reported walking capacity and JOA scores in the group of core stability exercise were significantly higher than those in the conventional exercise group (p < 0.05). However, both the intragroup and intergroup comparison of lumbar lordosis presented with no significance (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Core stability exercise presents with better efficacy than conventional exercise in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis.

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