EFFECTS OF CORE STABILIZATION WITH AND WITHOUT CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF NON-SPECIFIC LOW BACK PAIN

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of core stabilization exercises with conventional physiotherapy for the management of non-specific low back pain (LBP). Methodology: This experimental comparative study was conducted at Department of Physiotherapy, PSRD hospital, Ferozpur Road Lahore. The study involved 40 subjects diagnosed with non-specific LBP with age ranges from 18 – 65 years. Patients were randomly allocated into 2 groups: Group – A (Experimental Group): This group was treated with core stabilization exercises and conventional physiotherapy. Group – B (Control Group): In this group, patients were treated by conventional physiotherapy alone. The outcome measures were pain and physical functional outcomes. Pain was measured by using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the physical functional outcomes of patients were measured by using Modified Oswestery Disability Questionnaire (MODQ). Results: By applying paired t-test in group – A, the p-values obtained for VAS and MODQ were statistically significant (i.e., p = 0.000, p = 0.000 respectively) while in group – B, the p-values for VAS and MODQ were also found to be significant (p = 0.000, p = 0.000 respectively). By applying repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA), p-values were find to be insignificant for VAS (p = 0.09) and MODQ (p = 0.018). Conclusion: Both groups showed improvement in severity of pain and functional activity but the group- A that was given core stabilization exercises along with conventional treatment showed same improvement in pain and functional status as shown by group- B so any of the intervention can be used to gain better results as both are equally effective.