title: Effect of a muscle stretching program using the global postural reeducation method for patients with chronic low back pain: A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of a muscle stretching program using the global postural reeducation (GPR) method for patients with chronic low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, controlled, clinical trial with a single blinded examiner and intention-to-treat analysis was conducted. Sixty-one patients with chronic low back pain were randomly allocated to either the GPR group or a control group. Patients in the GPR group underwent one weekly 60-minute session of GPR for a period of 12 weeks. The control group remained on the waiting list under drug treatment, with no physical intervention. The following parameters were evaluated: pain (VAS), function capacity (Roland-Morris Questionnaire [RMQ]), quality of life (SF-36) and depressive symptoms (Beck Inventory). The evaluations were performed by a single blinded examiner at baseline, three and six months after the initial evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The GPR group demonstrated statistical improvements (P<0.05) in the VAS and RMQ as well as the pain, emotional aspects, limitation in physical functioning, vitality and mental health subscales of the SF-36 immediately after the intervention (three months), which were maintained through to the six-month evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the findings, a stretching program using the GPR method showed effective at improving pain, function, some quality of life aspects (emotional, limitations in physical functioning, vitality and mental health) and had no effect on depressive symptoms in patients with chronic low back pain.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, UNIFESP, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Priscila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lawand
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, UNIFESP, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Império
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lombardi Júnior
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, UNIFESP, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, UNIFESP, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sardim
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, UNIFESP, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiza Helena
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, UNIFESP, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: jnatour@unifesp.br.
authors.forename: Jamil
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Natour
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011187:Posture; D011788:Quality of Life; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Function; Global postural reeducation; Low back pain; Pain; Quality of life; Stretching