title: Stabilization exercise compared to general exercises or manual therapy for the management of low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We performed a systematic review with a meta-analysis to examine the efficacy of stabilization exercises versus general exercises or manual therapy in patients with low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane Controlled Trials, Scielo, and CINAHL (from the earliest date available to November 2014) for randomized controlled trials that examined the efficacy of stabilization exercises compared to general exercises or manual therapy on pain, disability, and function in patients with low back pain. Weighted mean differences (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria (413 stabilization exercises patients, 297 general exercises patients, and 185 manual therapy patients). Stabilization exercises may provide greater benefit than general exercise for pain reduction and improvement in disability. Stabilization exercise improved pain with a WMD of -1.03 (95% CI: -1.29 to -0.27) and improved disability with a WMD of -5.41 (95% CI: -8.34 to -2.49). There were no significant differences in pain and disability scores among participants in the stabilization exercise group compared to those in the manual therapy group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stabilization exercises were as efficacious as manual therapy in decreasing pain and disability and should be encouraged as part of musculoskeletal rehabilitation for low back pain.
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Department, Federal University of Bahia - UFBA, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação em Medicina e Saúde - UFBA, Salvador, BA, Brazil; The GREAT Group (GRupo de Estudos em ATividade física), Brazil. Electronic address: mansueto.neto@ufba.br.
authors.forename: Mansueto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gomes-Neto
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Department, Federal University of Bahia - UFBA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jordana Moura
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Department, Federal University of Bahia - UFBA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristiano Sena
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Conceição
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Department, Federal University of Bahia - UFBA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anderson
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Araujo
authors.affiliation: AF-FISIOTERAPIA, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alécio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brasileiro
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Department, Federal University of Bahia - UFBA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: The GREAT Group (GRupo de Estudos em ATividade física), Brazil; Physical Therapy Department, Federal University of Sergipe - UFS, Aracaju, SE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vitor Oliveira
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Department, Federal University of Bahia - UFBA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabio Luciano
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Arcanjo
mesh_terms: D004185:Disability Evaluation; D019468:Disease Management; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D026201:Musculoskeletal Manipulations; D059408:Pain Management
keywords: Disability; Low back pain; Meta-analysis; Stabilization exercises