Background/Objectives: Chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP) is a prevalent condition causing significant distress and healthcare costs globally. Despite various treatments, effective management remains challenging. Pilates, recognized for its focus on core strength and postural alignment, has emerged as a promising intervention. This study investigates the impact of mind-body in Pilates for directing participants on CNSLBP outcomes. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 67 participants, aged 18 to 65 years, suffering from CNSLBP. They were allocated into two groups: Pilates with mind-body cueing (n = 34) and Pilates without cueing (n = 33). Both groups underwent 60 min sessions twice weekly for 8 weeks. Outcome measures included pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale), functional disability (Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire), fear of movement (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia), and adherence (percentage of sessions attended). Statistical significance was determined through repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Both groups showed significant improvement in pain reduction, functional ability, and kinesiophobia. However, the mind-body group demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in kinesiophobia compared to the non-cueing group (p = 0.048), indicating the potential additional benefit of mind-body cueing in managing movement-related fear in CNSLBP. Conclusions: This study underscores the effectiveness of an 8-week Pilates intervention in managing CNSLBP, highlighting the added value of mind-body cueing in reducing fear of movement. These findings suggest incorporating mind-body cueing in Pilates could enhance the therapeutic benefits, particularly for patients with high levels of movement-related fear, potentially improving long-term adherence to physical activity and rehabilitation outcomes.

Nowadays, due to lifestyle changes, the number of young people suffering from chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) is gradually increasing. The recent guidelines for the treatment of low back pain emphasize that exercise therapy is the preferred treatment method for CNLBP. This study take ordinary college male students with CNLBP as objective of the study, focused into how core stability training affected the pain and muscle function of the CNLBP of youth. Herein, 60 male subjects were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group, and conducted a randomized control trial in the Sports Rehabilitation Laboratory of Guangxi Normal University from September to October 2023. The control group received traditional waist strength training, while the experimental group received core stability training. VAS scores, pain symptoms scores and clinical efficacy grades were evaluated. Waist muscles fitness was evaluated, including back muscle strength, the prone upper body up\'s static holding time, 1-min modified sit-ups\' pcs, the supine abdominal curling\'s static holding time and the supine leg raising\'s static holding time. Waist movement function was also evaluated using oswestry disability index (ODI) questionnaire. Surface electromyographic (EMG) signals were collected from rectus abdominis, erector spinae and multifidus. The independent sample t-test was used to compare groups, and the paired sample t-test was used for the data comparison before and post-exercise within the group. The results of the study found that CNLBP was improved in both the experimental and control groups in the post-exercise. Compared to pre-exercise, there are significant decrease in the VAS scores (95%CI: 2.51 to 6.51, p = 0.000), pain symptoms scores (95%CI: 2.95 to 3.55, p = 0.000), waist movement function\'s evaluation scores for ODI (95%CI: 2.23 to 4.31, p = 0.000), rectus abdominis\' IEMG values (95%CI: 2.29 to 4.39, p = 0.000), erector spinae and multifidus\' IEMG values (95%CI: 2.18 to 4.45, p = 0.000) of experimental group in the post-exercise. Compared to pre-exercise, there are significant improvement in the back muscle strength (95%CI: 12.85 to 19.49, p = 0.000), the prone upper body up\'s static holding time (95%CI: 9.67 to 19.17, p = 0.000), the 1-min modified sit-ups\' pcs (95%CI: 8.56 to 18.12, p = 0.000), the supine abdominal curling\'s static holding time (95%CI: 6.73 to 19.14, p = 0.000), and the supine leg raising\'s static holding time (95%CI: 8.21 to 18.35, p = 0.000) of experimental group in the post-exercise. In the post-exercise,there are significant lower in the VAS scores (95%CI: 1.41 to 4.98, p = 0.000), pain symptoms scores (95%CI: 1.14 to 1.79, p = 0.011), waist movement function\'s evaluation scores for ODI (95%CI: 1.13 to 2.25, p = 0.000), rectus abdominis\' IEMG values (95%CI: 2.36 to 4.47, p = 0.000), erector spinae and multifidus\' IEMG values (95%CI: 2.24 to 4.23, p = 0.017) of experimental group than those of control group. In the post-exercise, there are significant higher in the recovery rate (p = 0.000), the prone upper body up\'s static holding time (95%CI: 4.16 to 8.32, p = 0.008), and the supine abdominal curling\'s static holding time (95%CI: 3.89 to 7.44, p = 0.000) of experimental group than those of control group. Therefore, it can be concluded that core stability training is significantly effective in treating CNLBP in youth, enhancing lower back muscle function. This therapeutic effect is primarily attributed to the improvement in muscle function.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) often experience impaired postural control, contributing to pain recurrence. Although repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) combined with core muscle training (CMT) could improve postural control, its neural mechanism remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the postural control-related cortical mechanism of the effect of rPMS on patients with CNLBP.
METHODS: This unicentric, prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial was conducted in a public hospital from May to December 2023. A total of 40 patients (27 females and 13 males, mean age 29.38 ± 7.72) with CNLBP were randomly assigned to either the rPMS group (real rPMS with CMT) or the sham-rPMS group (sham-rPMS with CMT) for 12 sessions over 4 weeks. The rPMS was applied to the lumbar paravertebral multifidus muscle on the painful side. Pain and disability were quantified using the visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI) pre- and post-intervention. Furthermore, the sway area and velocity of the center of pressure (COP) were measured using a force platform. The cortical activities in 6 regions of interest during 4 tasks (standing with eyes open/closed on a stable/unstable plane) were recorded by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) pre- and post-intervention. The repeated measure ANOVA was applied for statistical analysis. Spearman\'s correlation was used to determine the relationships between variables.
RESULTS: After the intervention, the rPMS group showed decreased pain intensity (p = 0.001) and sway area (unstable eyes-closed task) (p = 0.046) compared to the sham-rPMS group. Additionally, the rPMS group exhibited increased activation in left primary motor cortex (M1) (p = 0.042) and reduced in left supplementary motor area (SMA) (p = 0.045), whereas the sham-rPMS group showed no significant changes. The increased activation of left M1 was negatively correlated to the reduction of pain intensity (r = - 0.537, p = 0.018) and sway area (r = - 0.500, p = 0.029) under the static balancing task. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between sway velocity and VAS (r = 0.451, p = 0.046) post-rPMS intervention.
CONCLUSIONS: Repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation combined with core muscle training demonstrated better analgesic effects and postural control improvements, compared to sham-stimulation. This may be attributed to the increased activation of the left primary motor cortex.
BACKGROUND: The trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (ChiCTR2300070943).

The purpose of this study was to investigate psychometric properties of the Greek translation of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (GR-PSQI) in a Greek chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP) sample, thus, providing insight on its clarity and acceptability as a widely used sleep assessment tool in clinical practice. Asymptomatic volunteers (n = 73) and CNSLBP volunteers (n = 47), participated in the study. For the assessment of construct validity, the known-groups method was used. Thus, all the participants (asymptomatic and CNSLBP) completed the GR-PSQI. For the assessment of concurrent validity, the CNSLBP participants additionally completed the following validated questionnaires for depression, insomnia and sleep quality: Beck Depression Inventory Questionnaire (BDI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Sleep Quality Numeric Rating Scale (SQNRS). For the assessment of test-retest reliability, the CNSLBP participants completed the GR-PSQI a second time, one week after the first time. The results showed excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.969, SEM = 0.90, SDD = 2.49%) and internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.985), moderate to good concurrent validity (from r = 0.556 to r = 0.860) among PSQI, BDI, SQNRS, and ISI, as well as excellent construct validity (p = 0.000) between the two groups. The Greek translation of PSQI could be a valuable tool for Greek healthcare professionals in both clinical and research environments.

The most frequent reason for individuals to seek medical attention in both primary care settings and immediate care centers is low back pain (LBP). Over a duration of time, the disability caused by lower back pain has risen enough, particularly in countries with low or moderate incomes. In the coming years, there may be an increase in LBP-related impairment and expenses in countries with low or medium incomes, particularly when fragile medical systems are unable to handle this growing load. Hence, this review focuses on the effectiveness of telerehabilitation (TR) on LBP. The significant advantages of TR may include greater interaction and remote accessibility to medical treatments. The exchange of knowledge and health information is made possible through a more effective interaction, which benefits patients, families, carers, physicians, and researchers. People who live in distant places now have the opportunity to get medical attention assisting families in caring for patients with poor responsiveness. In addition, it provides the potential for prompt detection, the beginning of treatment in the midst of an emergency, a shorter stay in the hospital, ongoing monitoring of those at risk, and overall time and expense savings. Therefore, this study supports the application of TR in conditions of LBP for early management and relief of pain for patients in low-resource areas.

UNASSIGNED: Chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) is a complex condition characterized by pain, dysfunction, disturbed sleep, anxiety, and depression, all of which impair the quality of life. Previous studies showed that practicing Tai Chi had effects on chronic low back pain. However, there is a lack of evidence on its impact on sleep. The trial will evaluate the use of Tai Chi as a treatment for insomnia in elderly people with CNLBP.
UNASSIGNED: The study design will be a randomized, controlled, open-label trial. Participants (n = 106) will be recruited from the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qing Yang District University for the Elderly, and Ci Tang Street Community. Participants will be randomly assigned to the Tai Chi group (n = 53) and the control group (n = 53). The Tai Chi group will undergo a Yang-style 24-form Tai Chi program for 8 weeks. The control group will have a waiting period of 8 weeks, followed by 8 weeks of Tai Chi practice. The primary outcomes of this study will be changes in sleep quality and pain intensity. Secondary outcomes of interest will include changes in the quality of pain, range of motion, physical performance, social support, and overall quality of life. Any adverse events and attendance rates will also be reported in this study.
UNASSIGNED: ChiCTR2200064977.

Chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Acupoint embedding (ACE) is widely used in China for the treatment of chronic non-specific low back pain, but there are no rigorous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to confirm the effectiveness and safety of ACE for chronic non-specific low back pain. In this study, we design a single-center, single-blind, prospective RCT, with the aim of evaluating the efficacy and safety of ACE for CNLBP. 82 participants with CNLBP will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio into an ACE group and a sham ACE group. Participants will receive either ACE treatment or sham ACE treatment at once every 2 weeks, for an 8-week period, and followed by 6 months of follow-up. The primary outcome will be the change in visual analog scale (VAS) scores before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes will include the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and the Short Form 36-Health Survey (SF-36). Adverse events that occur during the course of the trial will be recorded. Data will be analyzed according to a predefined statistical analysis plan. This study was approved by the medical ethics committee of Guangzhou Panyu Hospital of Chinese Medicine (202230). Written informed consent from patients is required. This trial is registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200059245). Trial results will be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal.
UNASSIGNED: https://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2200059245.

UNASSIGNED: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of whole-body vibration exercise (WBVE) and core stabilization exercise (CSE) on pain, muscle strength, and functional recovery in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (NLBP).
UNASSIGNED: Between June 2016 and July 2017, a total of 74 patients with NLBP (12 males, 62 females; mean age: 44.7±8.9 years; range, 24 to 64 years) were included in this prospective, randomized-controlled study. The patients were randomly assigned to WBVE group (WBVEG, n=25), CSE group (CSEG, (n=25), and home exercise group as the control group (CG, (n=24). All groups performed 24 sessions of exercise for a total of eight weeks. Clinical outcome was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), computerized isokinetic muscle strengths (IMS) and progressive isoinertial lifting evaluation (PILE) test.
UNASSIGNED: The VAS and RMDQ scores in WBVEG and CSEG statistically significantly decreased (p<0.05). The difference between the pre-treatment and at three-month VAS scores during intense activity were significantly different in both WBVEG and CSEG than the CG (p<0.05). The IMS values, except for the isokinetic flexion total work (IKFTW), increased significantly in all three groups (p<0.05). The IKFTW values increased significantly in the WBVEG and CSEG (p<0.05). A statistically significant increase in the functional work performance with PILE was observed in all three groups (p<0.05). The differences between the pre-treatment and three-month PILE test (ground to back and back to shoulder) were significantly different in both WBVEG and CSEG than the CG (p<0.05).
UNASSIGNED: In the treatment of chronic NLBP, WBVE and CSE appear to be effective in pain and functionality. Although there was a significant improvement in muscle strength and functional work performance in all three groups, greater improvements were observed in the WBVEG and CSEG than the CG.

BACKGROUND: Chronic non-specific low back pain (CLBP) is a common musculoskeletal disorder for which patients seek complementary and alternative medical treatments, including laser acupuncture (LA). Invasive LA (ILA) involves the simultaneous application of invasive acupuncture treatment at acupoints and focused laser irradiation. The efficacy of ILA for CLBP remains controversial owing to the insufficient clinical trial data. We intend to obtain basic data regarding the efficacy and safety of ILA for CLBP by comparing the effects of different wavelengths of ILA on CLBP.
METHODS: This will be a prospective, patient-blinded, parallel-arm, single-center (DongShin University Gwangju Korean Medicine Hospital, Republic of Korea), pilot randomized controlled clinical trial. Forty-five participants with CLBP will be randomized in equal numbers into the control, 650-nm ILA (650 ILA), or 830-nm ILA (830 ILA) group. The control group will receive sham ILA for 10 min and real electroacupuncture (EA) for 10 min. The 650 and 830 ILA groups will receive real ILA (i.e., 650 ILA group, 650-nm wavelength; 830 ILA group, 830-nm wavelength) for 10 min and real EA for 10 min once/day, twice a week for 4 weeks, at bilateral Shenshu (BL23), Qihaishu (BL24), Dachangshu (BL25), and Huantiao (GB30). The primary outcome will be an improvement in pain intensity assessed using the visual analog scale. Scores in the Korean version of the Oswestry Disability Index and the European Quality of Life Five Dimension Five Level scale will be recorded as secondary outcome measures. All scores will be recorded at baseline (before intervention), 4 weeks after the first intervention (at the end of the intervention), and 4 weeks after completion of the intervention.
CONCLUSIONS: The study is expected to provide preliminary evidence regarding the efficacy, safety, and usefulness of ILA for the treatment of CLBP.
BACKGROUND: This trial was registered with the Clinical Research Information Service (registration No. KCT0004610 ; http://cris.nih.go.kr ). Registered on 7 January 2020.

UNASSIGNED: To illustrate the effectiveness of the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) as a guide to exercise intervention on chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP).
UNASSIGNED: A 23-year-old male volleyball athlete with CNLBP was evaluated using the SFMA to assess the degree of physical dysfunctions. And then two-stage exercise protocol was designed based on the results of SFMA. The athlete conducted the exercise intervention for 8 weeks, 1 h each time, three times a week. Transverse abdominal muscles and multifidus muscle thickness, the degree of low back pain, and the degree of physical dysfunctions were measured at pre-intervention, midintervention, and post-intervention.
UNASSIGNED: Based on the results of SFMA, the exercise protocol in the first 4-week session was designed mainly to develop the mobility of ankle, hip, and chest and the stability of lumbar, hip, and knee, in order to improve core strength and gluteal muscle strength. The second 4-week session was an advanced stage with the increase of exercise load on the basis of flexibility and stability; its main purpose was to loosen the hamstring muscles and continue strengthening the core stability and finally help the participant to establish the correct movement pattern and solve the problems of dysfunctions. After 8-week exercise intervention, all movement patterns became functional/non-painful except the deep squat pattern; the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale score decreased from 11 to 2; visual analog scale score decreased from 4 to 2; the thicknesses of the transverse abdominis muscles (right side: 0.2 vs. 0.31 cm, left side: 0.22 vs. 0.33 cm) and multifidus muscles (right side: 2.09 vs. 2.26 cm, left side: 2.15 vs. 2.29 cm) were both increased.
UNASSIGNED: In this case, the SFMA helped to recognize problems related to mobility and stability on the hip joint, thoracic spine, and even areas far away from the lumbar spine in an athlete with CNLBP that were not seen with more conventional examination procedures. The improvements of physical function, the increase in deep core muscles thickness, and the released pain after exercise intervention all verified the effectiveness of SFMA to qualitatively analyze movement patterns at examination and to direct subsequent exercise intervention.