Therapeutic effect of different core training exercise prescriptions on non-specific low back pain of office clerks

  Objective  Two core training exercises were prescribed to treat patients with nonspecific low back pain, and to explore the advantages and disadvantages of these exercise prescriptions.

  Methods  Totally 20 office clerks with nonspecific low back pain were recruited and divided into abdominal muscle training group and lumbar muscle training group according to random number table method. The thickness and muscle strength of lumbar and abdominal muscles, as well as the visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) score, were measured before training, and 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after training. The treatment effects of different training exercise prescriptions were investigated by repeated measurement data ANOVA.

  Results  The VAS score, ODI scoreand abdominal flexor strength of the patients in both two groups were improved at 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after treatment compared with that before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The ODI score of the patients in abdominal muscle training group was better than that in the psoas muscle training group after 6 months treatment (P < 0.05)；the thickness of erector spinalis muscle and the strength of lumbar extensor muscle were not improved in both groups after treatment (P > 0.05)； the thickness of rectus abdominis on both sides was significantly changed in the two groups after 4 weeks and 3 months treatment compared with that before treatment (P < 0.05), while there was no statistical difference between two groups (P > 0.05)；the mean thickness of right rectus abdominis was greater than that of left rectus abdominis in all patients (P < 0.05). The interaction effects of different groups and measurement time on these indicators were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

  Conclusions  Both core training exercise prescriptions of abdominal muscle training and lumbar muscle training have obvious effects on improving VAS, ODI, abdominal flexor strength and rectus abdominis thickness of patients with nonspecific low back pain, and abdominal muscle training has better long-term (6 months) improvement effect on ODI. These two kinds of training have no obvious effect on improving the strength of the extensor muscle and the thickness of the erector spinalis muscle.