Adherence to home exercises in non-specific low back pain. A randomised controlled pilot trial

Abstract

Specific exercises for the improvement of movement control of the lumbopelvic region are well-established for patients with non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) and movement control impairment (MCI). However, a lack of adherence to home exercise regimens is often observed. The aim of the study was to explore the differences in home exercise (HE) adherence between patients who perform conventional exercises and those who exercise with Augmented Feedback (AF). Twenty patients with NSLBP and MCI were randomly allocated into two groups. The physiotherapy group (PT group) completed conventional exercises, and the AF group exercised with an AF system that was designed for use in therapy settings. The main outcome measure was self-reported adherence to the home exercise regimen. There was no significant difference in HE duration between the groups (W = 64, p = 0.315). The AF group exercised for a median of 9 min and 4 s (IQR = 3'59"), and the PT group exercised for 4 min and 19 s (IQR = 8'30"). Exercising with AF led to HE times that were similar to those of conventional exercise, and AF might be used as an alternative therapy method for home exercise.

The effectiveness of home-based exercise programs for low back pain patients

“…Exercises should be prescribed in agreed doses due to the multi-dimensional nature of adherence to exercise. There is no golden standard by which to measure adherence to exercise, although strengthening and flexibility parameters are reported to be the most appropriate methods for measuring adherence5, 10 ) . The present study found there were statistically significant improvements in pain, abdominal muscle endurance, flexibility, and disability after home-based exercises were prescribed.…”

“…Adherence is defined as the overlapping of an individual’s behaviors with the suggestions of medical professionals, and is accepted as the most significant factor in the success of exercise programs; therefore, adherence to exercise programs is crucial6,7,8 ) . Factors specific to the personal characteristics of the patients, the program, and the interaction between patients and professionals are all known to affect adherence9,10,11,12,13 ) .…”

Stablebelt: Wearables in Core Stabilization

“…They were brought to my attention by scientific papers published recently (Costa et al, 2013;Kent, et al, 2015;Hügli et al, 2015). All three products make very different uses of feedback during exercises and provide compelling solutions to rehabilitation and treatment of low back pain.…”

“…The third product Valedo, from Hocoma, also targets exercises for the treatment of back pain (Hügli, et al, 2015). …”

“…The three products do not describe details of their implementation or of the exercises. Research papers related to research on these products usage have only been published recently (Costa, et al, 2013;Kent, et al, 2015;Hügli et al 2015). The products represented in these papers have been available on the market for a few years.…”