title: The effects of an 8-week stabilization exercise program on lumbar movement sense in patients with low back pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lumbar stabilization exercises have gained popularity and credibility in patients with non-acute low back pain. Previous research provides more support to strength/resistance and coordination/stabilisation programs. Some authors also suggest adding strength/resistance training following motor control exercises. However, the effect of such a lumbar stabilization program on lumbar proprioception has never been tested so far. The present study investigated the effects of an 8-week stabilization exercise program on lumbar proprioception in patients with low back pain (LBP) and assessed the 8-week test-retest reliability of lumbar proprioception in control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lumbar proprioception was measured before and after an 8-week lumbar stabilization exercise program for patients with LBP. Control subjects participated in the same protocol but received no treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lumbar proprioception measure showed moderate reliability. Patients with LBP and control subjects demonstrated no differences in lumbar proprioception at baseline. Participants from both groups showed better proprioception following the 8-week interval, demonstrating the presence of learning between testing days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The improvement of lumbar proprioception seen in both groups was ascribed to motor learning of the test itself. The effect of lumbar stabilization exercises on lumbar proprioception remains unknown because the LBP group did not show lumbar proprioception impairments.
authors.affiliation: School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada. charljea@uqtr.ca.|Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute Robert-Sauvé (IRSST), Montréal, Québec, Canada. charljea@uqtr.ca.|Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal (CRIR), Montreal Rehabilitation Institute, Montreal, Québec, Canada. charljea@uqtr.ca.
authors.forename: Jean-Alexandre
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.affiliation: School of Physical & Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.|Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal (CRIR), Montreal Rehabilitation Institute, Montreal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Preuss
authors.affiliation: Deparment of Rehabilitation and Movement Science, The University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA.
authors.forename: Sharon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.affiliation: School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dumas
authors.affiliation: Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute Robert-Sauvé (IRSST), Montréal, Québec, Canada.|Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal (CRIR), Montreal Rehabilitation Institute, Montreal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Larivière
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome