Use the Back button in your browser to see the other results of your search or to select another record.

Detailed Search Results

Acute effects of a brief physical exercise intervention on somatosensory perception, lumbar strength, and flexibility in patients with nonspecific chronic low-back pain
Sitges C, Velasco-Roldan O, Crespi J, Garcia-Dopico N, Segur-Ferrer J, Gonzalez-Roldan AM, Montoya P
Journal of Pain Research 2021 Feb 18;14:487-500
clinical trial
4/10 [Eligibility criteria: No; Random allocation: No; Concealed allocation: No; Baseline comparability: Yes; Blind subjects: No; Blind therapists: No; Blind assessors: No; Adequate follow-up: Yes; Intention-to-treat analysis: No; Between-group comparisons: Yes; Point estimates and variability: Yes. Note: Eligibility criteria item does not contribute to total score] *This score has been confirmed*

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based clinical guidelines consider physical exercise one of the best nonpharmacological interventions for low-back pain (LBP), but it is necessary to clarify the exercise-induced hypoalgesia effect of different modalities of exercise in chronic pain populations. PURPOSE: This study focused on exploring acute changes in tactile and pressure-pain perception and lumbar strength and flexibility in patients with nonspecific chronic LBP (NSCLBP) after performing one of three 20-minute physical exercise modalities. METHODS: A total of 81 patients with NSCLBP were pseudorandomly distributed into three groups of 20-minute physical exercise -- (1) aerobic (n = 21, mean age 42 +/- 9.72 years, nine men), (2) stretching (n = 21, mean age 40 +/- 11.37 years, ten men), and (3) strengthening (n = 20, mean age 35.80 +/- 11.56 years, ten men) -- and (4) a control group (n = 19, mean age 38.64 +/- 10.24 years, eight men), and completed self-reported questionnaires during the same period. Tactile and pressure-pain thresholds and isometric lumbar muscle endurance and flexibility were assessed before and after this brief exercise-based intervention. RESULTS: All groups were comparable in terms of sociodemographic and clinical data, cardiovascular capacity, and self-reported data on physical disability, mood, motivation, psychological response to stimulus properties of physical exercise, and physical activity enjoyment. Our analyses revealed higher tactile sensitivity (p < 0.001) and pressure-pain thresholds (p < 0.001) at the forefinger than other body locations. We also found lower pain sensitivity (p = 0.010) and pressure pain-intensity ratings (p = 0.001) and higher lumbar flexibility (p < 0.001) after intervention. After calculation of absolute pre-post differences, higher tactile sensitivity was observed at the gluteus medius muscle than the erector spinal muscle only after aerobic intervention (p = 0.046). CONCLUSION: These results add some evidence about different modalities of exercise-induced hypoalgesia in NSCLBP. However, the fact that we also found improvements in the control group limits our conclusions.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help