title: Effects of two physical therapy interventions in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain: feasibility of a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic non-specific low back pain is both a health and a socio-economic problem which is associated with disability as well as with emotional distress. The Mckenzie and Back School's techniques have been shown to be effective in the treatment of this condition.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to perform a preliminary analysis of the effects of these treatments in patients with chronic non specific low back pain for the following outcomes: pain, disability and trunk flexion range of motion and to test the feasibility of randomized controlled trial testing these interventions on this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  the participants were assessed by a blinded assessor and randomly assigned into one of the treatment groups. The data analysis was performed in only 18 patients and the study is still ongoing, so the results are restricted to these patients, as a single group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the patients improved for the outcomes pain intensity (mean difference of 2.4 points and 95% CI 0.84 to 3.93) and disability (5.2 points and 95% CI 2.55 to 7.78), but no improvement in range of motion in flexion was observed (7.2 degrees 95% CI -1.82 to 16.29).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the Mckenzie and Back School's approaches may be beneficial for the treatment of patients with chronic non specific low back pain for the outcomes pain intensity and disability. We also concluded that the study is feasible and we will continue performing the current study without any adjustments of the original research protocol. This study was prospectively registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) number ACTRN12610000435088.
authors: Masters in Physical Therapy Program, Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (UNICID), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Alessandra N
authors: AN
authors: Garcia
authors: Francine L B
authors: FL
authors: Gondo
authors: Renata A
authors: RA
authors: Costa
authors: Fábio N
authors: FN
authors: Cyrillo
authors: Leonardo O P
authors: LO
authors: Costa
mesh_terms: D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method