Stabilization Exercises for Enhancing Balance in Adults With Non-Specific Chronic Lumbopelvic Pain: A Systematic...

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Science
• Musculoskeletal Health
• Clinical Biomechanics

Background:

• Non-specific chronic lumbopelvic pain (NSCLPP) affects a significant portion of the population.
• Balance impairments are common in individuals with NSCLPP, contributing to functional limitations and pain.
• Conventional physical therapy (PT) interventions are widely used, but their optimal effectiveness for balance improvement is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically compare the efficacy of stabilization exercise (SE) programs versus conventional PT interventions for enhancing balance in individuals with NSCLPP.
• To evaluate the impact of SE on both static and dynamic balance parameters.
• To assess the overall certainty of evidence regarding SE's effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted across seven major electronic databases.
• Included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing SE with conventional PT for NSCLPP.
• Meta-analysis was performed on dynamic balance outcomes, with study quality assessed using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool (Rob 2) and evidence certainty using the GRADE framework.

Main Results:

• Fourteen RCTs involving 466 participants were included.
• A moderate effect size favoring SE was observed for dynamic balance when measured by the Y Balance Test (SMD = 0.71).
• Evidence for SE's effect on dynamic balance was of low certainty, downgraded due to risk of bias and imprecision from small sample sizes. Static balance improvements were noted but with inconsistent measures.

Conclusions:

• Stabilization exercise (SE) programs demonstrate potential superiority over conventional physical therapy (PT) in improving static and dynamic balance for individuals with non-specific chronic lumbopelvic pain (NSCLPP).
• SE may enhance core muscle engagement during functional activities, contributing to better balance and reduced pain and functional disability.
• The current evidence is of low certainty, highlighting the need for high-quality RCTs to confirm these findings.