The Effect of Suspension and Conventional Core Stability Exercises on Characteristics of Intervertebral Disc and Chronic Pain in Office Staff Due to Lumbar Herniated Disc

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of eight weeks of conventional and suspension core stability exercises by use of the designed device on characteristic of intervertebral discs in low back pain. Methods: A total of 27 men with chronic low back (CLB) pain due to lumbar disc herniation in L4-L5 and L5-S1 regions were enrolled in this quasi-experimental study. After assessing the pain intensity using a visual analog scale (VAS) and determining the disc herniation index using MRI, each group of patients were asked to perform either conventional or suspension exercises for eight weeks, each week consisting of three training sessions. The pain intensity was assessed at the end of the first, second, third, fourth and eighth weeks and the disc hernia index was determined again at the end of the eight weeks of exercises. Results: The results indicated significant changes in the intensity of pain in both groups through the period of eight weeks of exercise with a remarkable pain relief. In relation to the structural characteristics of the intervertebral disc, data analysis did not reveal any significant change between the pre- and post-test. Conclusion: Considering the beneficial effects of the stability exercises and specially suspension stability exercises with respect to pain alleviation and reduced use of sedatives and anti-inflammatory drugs, this method can be helpful at early stages of treatment for chronic pains.