Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31666220›Full record

ReviewBritish journal of sports medicine2020

Which specific modes of exercise training are most effective for treating low back pain? Network meta-analysis.

Patrick J Owen, Clint T Miller, Niamh L Mundell, Simone J J M Verswijveren, Scott D Tagliaferri, Helena Brisby, Steven J Bowe, Daniel L Belavy

Retracted 8 registry-linked trialsOpen access · bronzeAbstract readReviewNetwork Meta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in British journal of sports medicine, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It has been retracted, and should not be counted. It is linked to 8 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 231 papers, 46 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
231citing papers in PubMed, 46 pooled it
30.8field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04824547 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2021, after this paper: background citation

Bel Ağrılı Bireylerde Egzersizlerin Uzun Dönem Devamlılığının Değerlendirilmesi

TypeinterventionalSponsorHacettepe UniversityRan2021 to 2024Enrolled104ConditionsChronic Low-back PainArmsexercise
NCT05724160 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Using Non-Weightbearing Stationary Elliptical Machines and Virtual Reality for Patients with Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain; a Prospective Clinical Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorMassachusetts General HospitalRan2023 to 2024Enrolled64ConditionsChronic Low-back Pain, Low Back PainArmsUsing sitting ellipticals, Physiotherapy Protocol
NCT05832918 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Effects of Core Stability Exercises and Cognitive Tasks Compared to General Exercises and Cognitive Tasks on Chronic Non-specific Back Pain

TypeinterventionalSponsorIran University of Medical SciencesRan2023 to 2025Enrolled48ConditionsChronic Non-specific Low Back PainArmsexercise therapy
NCT06150625 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Comparison Between Pragmatically Applied Orthopedic Manual Therapy and Dry Needling for Low Back Pain.

TypeinterventionalSponsorYoungstown State UniversityRan2023 to 2025Enrolled188ConditionsLow Back Pain, MechanicalArmsOrthopedic Manaual Therapy, Dry Needling, Home exercise program, Patient education
NCT06295276 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Does a Teletherapy-guided Exercise Programme Improve Pain Intensity, Disability, and Quality of Life in Nursing Students With Back and Neck Pain Compared to a Control Group?

TypeinterventionalSponsorHochschule OsnabruckRan2024 to 2024Enrolled48ConditionsLow Back Pain, Neck PainArmsteletherapy-guided exercise programme, Waiting list/control intervention/delayed teletherapy intervention
NCT06566144 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Effect of a Standard Treatment for Non-specific Low Back Pain Combined With Multimodal Osteopathy Treatment on Pain Intensity and Functional Capacity: A Randomized, Controlled, Blinded Trial"

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of Nove de JulhoRan2024 to 2025Enrolled44ConditionsLow Back PainArmsStandard treatment, Osteopathy treatment
NCT07370272 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Lumbopelvic Cognitive Movement Control Training Versus Core Stability Exercises in Treatment of Sacroiliac Joint Pain

TypeinterventionalSponsorCairo UniversityRan2026 to 2026Enrolled36ConditionsSacroiliac Joint PainArmsThe conventional Physiotherpay Program (US & MET), Core Stability Exercises (CSE), Lumbopelvic cognitive movement control training (CMCT)
NCT07399145 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Comparison of the Effects of Prolotherapy and Rehabilitation Treatments in Low Back Pain

TypeinterventionalSponsorBalnear and Rehabilitation Sanatorium TechirghiolRan2025 to 2025Enrolled84ConditionsLow Back PainArmsProlotherapy, Balneotherapy plus Physiotherapy, Physiotherapy
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

231 citing papers in PubMed, 46 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 547 citations in OpenAlex.

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  6. The effect of exercise on the improvement of verbal fluency, spatial working memory, and the three major executive functions in elderly alzheimer's patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2025
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  10. The effects of chronic stretch training on musculoskeletal pain.European journal of applied physiology · 2025
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171 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Patrick J OwenInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3924-9375
Clint T MillerInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7743-6986
Niamh L MundellInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5406-3216
Simone J J M VerswijverenInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7709-7416
Scott D TagliaferriInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3669-4131
Helena BrisbyDepartment of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Steven J BoweFaculty of Health, Biostatistics Unit, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
Daniel L BelavyInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia belavy@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9307-832X
Deakin University · AUUniversity of Gothenburg · SE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveExamine the effectiveness of specific modes of exercise training in non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP).

designNetwork meta-analysis (NMA). DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, EMBASE, CENTRAL. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Exercise training randomised controlled/clinical trials in adults with NSCLBP.

resultsAmong 9543 records, 89 studies (patients=5578) were eligible for qualitative synthesis and 70 (pain), 63 (physical function), 16 (mental health) and 4 (trunk muscle strength) for NMA. The NMA consistency model revealed that the following exercise training modalities had the highest probability (surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA)) of being best when compared with true control: Pilates for pain (SUCRA=100%; pooled standardised mean difference (95% CI): -1.86 (-2.54 to -1.19)), resistance (SUCRA=80%; -1.14 (-1.71 to -0.56)) and stabilisation/motor control (SUCRA=80%; -1.13 (-1.53 to -0.74)) for physical function and resistance (SUCRA=80%; -1.26 (-2.10 to -0.41)) and aerobic (SUCRA=80%; -1.18 (-2.20 to -0.15)) for mental health. True control was most likely (SUCRA≤10%) to be the worst treatment for all outcomes, followed by therapist hands-off control for pain (SUCRA=10%; 0.09 (-0.71 to 0.89)) and physical function (SUCRA=20%; -0.31 (-0.94 to 0.32)) and therapist hands-on control for mental health (SUCRA=20%; -0.31 (-1.31 to 0.70)). Stretching and McKenzie exercise effect sizes did not differ to true control for pain or function (p>0.095; SUCRA<40%). NMA was not possible for trunk muscle endurance or analgesic medication. The quality of the synthesised evidence was low according to Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation criteria. SUMMARY/

conclusionThere is low quality evidence that Pilates, stabilisation/motor control, resistance training and aerobic exercise training are the most effective treatments, pending outcome of interest, for adults with NSCLBP. Exercise training may also be more effective than therapist hands-on treatment. Heterogeneity among studies and the fact that there are few studies with low risk of bias are both limitations.

Indexed as

AdultExerciseExercise Movement TechniquesExercise TherapyHumansLow Back PainMuscle StrengthMuscle Stretching ExercisesRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicResistance Traininganalgesicsbehavioural symptomscatastrophizationphysical activityphysical therapy modalitiesrehabilitationspine

Identifiers

PMID31666220
PMCPMC7588406
OpenAlexW2982702255

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

and 2 more above

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.