Effectiveness of Structured Exercise Therapy in the Management of Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Abstract

ABSTRACT Chronic low back pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide, and exercise therapy is a recommended first-line physiotherapy intervention. This paper reports a randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a structured exercise therapy programme in the management of chronic low back pain. One hundred and twenty patients with chronic non-specific low back pain were randomised to a twelve-week structured exercise therapy programme or to usual care, and pain and disability were assessed at baseline, six and twelve weeks. The exercise group showed significantly greater reductions in pain and disability and higher global improvement than the usual-care group, with progressive benefit over the programme. The programme was safe and well tolerated. These findings indicate that structured exercise therapy is effective in reducing pain and disability in chronic low back pain, supporting its use as a core musculoskeletal physiotherapy intervention. The single-centre design and twelve-week horizon indicate the need for multicentre studies with longer follow-up.

KEYWORDS: Low Back Pain, Exercise Therapy, Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, Disability, Pain, Rehabilitation, Randomised Controlled Trial, Function