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Updated: Aug 19, 2026
Biomechanical Changes Related to Low Back Pain: An Innovative Tool for Movement Pattern Assessment and Treatment Evaluation in Rehabilitation
Published on: December 13, 2024
Long-term effects of supervised physical training in secondary prevention of low back pain
Irina Maul1, Thomas Läubli, Michael Oliveri
1Institute of Hygiene and Applied Physiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland. Irina.Maul@web.de
Background And Objectives:
In the last few years, several studies have focused on short-term treatment effects of exercise therapy. However, there is a lack of knowledge concerning the long-term treatment effects recorded after several years. Hence, this study was performed to investigate the short- and long-term effects of supervised physical training on functional ability, self-rated pain and disability in secondary prevention of low back pain.
Methods:
One hundred and eighty-three hospital employees with chronic low back pain were randomly assigned either to back school (comparison group), or three-months supervised physical training including a back school (exercise group). Various measurements of functional ability were performed and subjects completed questionnaires on self-rated pain, disability, and general well-being before treatment, immediately after intervention, and at six-months follow-up. At one-year and at ten-years follow-up participants evaluated treatment effectiveness.
Results:
Out of 183 employees, 148 completed the program. Participation at follow-ups ranged from 66 to 96%. Supervised physical training significantly improved muscular endurance and isokinetic strength during a six-months follow-up, and effectively decreased self-rated pain and disability during a one-year follow-up. At ten-years follow-up the subjects' assessment of the effectiveness of treatment was significantly better in the exercise group.
Conclusions:
Supervised physical training effectively improved functional capacity and decreased LBP and disability up to one-year follow-up. The subjects' positive evaluation of the treatment effect at ten-years follow-up suggests a long-term benefit of training.
