title: An aerobic walking programme versus muscle strengthening programme for chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of aerobic walking training as compared to active training, which includes muscle strengthening, on functional abilities among patients with chronic low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled clinical trial with blind assessors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two sedentary patients, aged 18-65 years with chronic low back pain. Patients who were post surgery, post trauma, with cardiovascular problems, and with oncological disease were excluded.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental 'walking' group: moderate intense treadmill walking; control 'exercise' group: specific low back exercise; both, twice a week for six weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six-minute walking test, Fear-Avoidance Belief Questionnaire, back and abdomen muscle endurance tests, Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, Low Back Pain Functional Scale (LBPFS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant improvements were noted in all outcome measures in both groups with non-significant difference between groups. The mean distance in metres covered during 6 minutes increased by 70.7 (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.3-127.7) in the 'walking' group and by 43.8 (95% CI 19.6-68.0) in the 'exercise' group. The trunk flexor endurance test showed significant improvement in both groups, increasing by 0.6 (95% CI 0.0-1.1) in the 'walking' group and by 1.1 (95% CI 0.3-1.8) in the 'exercise' group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A six-week walk training programme was as effective as six weeks of specific strengthening exercises programme for the low back.
authors: Department of Physiotherapy, Maccabi Healthcare Services in Lod, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors: Ilana
authors: I
authors: Shnayderman
authors: Michal
authors: M
authors: Katz-Leurer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055070:Resistance Training; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult