title: Aquatic therapy improves pain, disability, quality of life, body composition and fitness in sedentary adults with chronic low back pain. A controlled clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of a two-month intensive aquatic therapy programme on back pain, disability, quality of life, body composition and health-related fitness in sedentary adults with chronic low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine sedentary patients with chronic low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were allocated into active group (n = 24, two months, five times/week) or waiting list, control group (n = 25) according to space on the programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outcomes variables were pain (visual analogue scale), disability (Oswestry Disability Index), quality of life (Quality Short-Form Health Survey 36), body composition (weight, body mass index, body fat percentage and skeletal muscle mass) and health-related fitness (sit-and-reach, handgrip strength, curl-up, Rockport 1-mile test).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The active group significantly improved low back pain (-3.83 ± 0.35 mm on the visual analogue scale ), disability (-12.7 ± 1.3 points for the Oswestry Disability Index) and the standardized physical component (10.3 ± 1.4 points for the Quality Short-Form Health Survey 36) of quality-of-life domains (P < 0.001), with no significant changes on the standardized mental component (P = 0.114). In relation to body composition and fitness, the active group showed significant improvements (all P-values < 0.01). The control group presented no significant change in any parameter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A two-month intensive aquatic therapy programme of high-frequency (five times/week) decreases levels of back pain and disability, increases quality of life, and improves body composition and health-related fitness in sedentary adults with chronic low back pain.
authors.affiliation: 1University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro Ángel
authors.initials: PÁ
authors.lastname: Baena-Beato
authors.forename: Enrique G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Artero
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arroyo-Morales
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Robles-Fuentes
authors.forename: María Claudia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gatto-Cardia
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delgado-Fernández
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006875:Hydrotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012923:Social Class; D013030:Spain
keywords: Aquatic therapy programme; chronic low back pain; disability; fitness; quality of life