[Therapeutic exercise for patients with chronic low-back pain]

Low Back Pain (LBP) is a major medical and socio-economical problem in the industrialized countries. Exercise therapy is the keystone of conservative treatment for chronic low back pain (CLBP). Numerous randomized trials and clinical practice guidelines have supported that exercise diminishes disability and pain severity while improving fitness and occupational status in patients with CLBP, as well as decrease its recurrence rate. However, there is no significant evidence that one particular type of exercise is clearly more effective than others. Here we present a descriptive review of different types of exercise for therapeutic or prevention purposes in patients with CLBP. Studies suggest that individually tailored, supervised exercise programs are associated with the best outcomes. High quality clinical trials are needed to determine the effectiveness of specific interventions (type, time, intensity and other characteristics) aimed at individuals and/or specific target groups.