Determining the effectiveness of including aerobic exercise in chronic low-back pain management

Abstract

Overview of the Topic: Chronic Low-Back Pain (CLBP) is a widespread condition, increasingly prevalent as age increases. The symptoms elicited by this condition have been shown to be a major factor in disabling the person in certain activities. In this dissertation, the effectiveness of aerobic exercise as a form of treatment towards CLBP will be explored, in regard to pain and disability. Research Question: Does the inclusion of aerobic exercise (AE) within a physiotherapy program in the management of CLBP add benefit? PICO Elements: The population (P) studied in this dissertation was persons suffering with chronic low-back pain. The intervention (I) provided to patients was aerobic exercise, and this was compared (C) to no AE. The outcomes (O) under investigation were pain and disability. Method: A search was carried out online on academic databases using a variety of keywords. Studies meeting the criteria set were included. Included studies were evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP 2022) for RCTs. Results: A significant improvement in pain and disability was found in all RCTs, when comparing results pre and post measurements. One study found that AE was more effective than not including AE in both pain and disability. One other study found that not including AE, and carrying out Pilates was more effective in improving pain and disability. The other included RCTs did not note a significant difference between groups. Conclusion: Results were conflicting, hence difficult to reach a definite conclusion about whether AE inclusion in CLBP management is effective as a recovery strategy. The findings indicate a promising trend towards AE being an effective intervention for CLBP. Implications and Recommendations: The results make it evident that more research is necessary to determine the effectiveness of AE as a treatment approach for CLBP management. Nonetheless, AE has shown to not cause any harm, and may also provide benefits to the patient, hence, can be used by physiotherapists to manage CLBP.