Background: Core stability is defined as comprising of the lumbopelvic-hip complex and is the capacity to maintain equilibrium of the vertebral column within its physiologic limits by reducing displacement from perturbations and maintaining structural integrity. Over the years, the concept of core stability has changed and authors have highlighted the significance and contribution of the transversus abdominus muscle, especially, in lumbo pelvic stability. Upon this basis, it has now become an important part in the management of spinal stability. Thus, exercises relying on the activation, recruitment and strengthening the core muscles are a common avenue of treatment of chronic back pain. Pelvic compensation of the sagittal spinal alignment is important as it correlates to lumbar lordosis and overall sagittal balance. Hence pelvic radius technique (PRT) is used to measure the lumbar lordosis.Context and Purpose of the study: To compare the effectiveness of core strengthening exercises and general trunk exercises on pain, lumbo-pelvic stability, lumbar lordosis and functional abilities in patients with chronic low back pain.Results: Both exercise protocols showed statistically significant improved on Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Oswetry Disability Index (ODI) and lumbo pelvic stability tests (LPS) (p value<0.05). For the lumbar lordosis only the core strengthening group showed statistically significant improvement (p value<0.05). When a comparison was done between groups it was statistically insignificant (p value<0.05).
Conclusion:The study the failed to show that core strengthening exercises are better than general trunk exercises on reducing pain, improving lumbo-pelvic stability, improving lumbar lordosis and functional abilities in patients with chronic low back pain. clinicians have a choice to either administer core stability exercise or general exercise when a patient has chronic non-specific low back pain.
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