title: The effect of individualized gradable stabilization exercises in patients with chronic low back pain: Case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is no evidence that one exercise program is better than another for rehabilitation of patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the safety and efficacy of a gradable stabilization exercise protocol in patients with CLBP.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a retrospective cohort study with 65 patients. The exercise group received the gradable stabilization exercise protocol for 3 weeks over 6-8 visits, while the control group did not receive any exercise protocol. All subjects were evaluated with the visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Fear-Avoidance Belief Questionnaire (FABQ), the active sit-up test (AST), side support test (SST), and extensor endurance test (EET).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After gradable stabilization exercise, the exercise group showed significant improvement in VAS, FABQ-W, ODI, AST, SST and EET (p< 0.05). And the exercise group showed better improvement than the control group in VAS, FABQ-W, ODI, AST, SST and EET (p< 0.05). The rate of treatment success was 77.1% among patients assigned to the exercise group, as compared with 12.0% among those assigned to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that the gradable stabilization exercise protocol has the possibility to improve clinical and physical findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam City, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Song
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam City, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Jin
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam City, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoongul
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam City, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyunghoon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam City, Korea.
authors.forename: Ju Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ryu
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D064232:Visual Analog Scale
keywords: Low back pain; exercise therapy; physical examination; questionnaires