Trial reportBMC musculoskeletal disorders2025
Effect of core stabilization exercises on lumbar multifidus morphology and functional outcomes in chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.
Trial report in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05302349 (The Effect of Core Stabilization Exercises on Pain Level, Functionality, Stability and Lumbar Multifidus Muscle Cross-sectional Area in People With Chronic Low Back Pain), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
The Effect of Core Stabilization Exercises on Pain Level, Functionality, Stability and Lumbar Multifidus Muscle Cross-sectional Area in People With Chronic Low Back Pain
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- A multicenter study on the prediction model for chronic low back pain after lumbar decompression surgery in patients with diabetes mellitus: integration of metabolic and paraspinal muscle features.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026Article
- Comparative Effects of Therapeutic Exercise and Manual Therapy Techniques on Self-Reported Disability in Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Network Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- Integrating core muscle morphology into a predictive model for residual back pain after vertebral augmentation.Frontiers in surgery · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundChronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP) is often associated with morphological changes in the lumbar multifidus muscle (LMF), such as reduced cross-sectional area (CSA) and increased fat infiltration, compromising spinal stability and function. Core stabilization exercises aim to enhance neuromuscular control by targeting deep trunk muscles. However, few randomized trials have investigated their effects on MRI-based muscle morphology and clinical outcomes. This study aimed to compare the effects of an 8-week core stabilization exercise program versus conventional physiotherapy on LMF morphology, pain intensity, disability, and core stability in individuals with CNSLBP.
methodsIn this two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial, 36 individuals with CNSLBP (> 3 months) were randomized to a Core Exercise Group (CEG, n = 18) or a Conventional Physiotherapy Group (CPG, n = 18). The 8-week intervention included a 4-week supervised clinical phase and a 4-week home-based phase. The primary outcome was the CSA of the LMF, as this parameter was used for the sample size calculation. Secondary outcomes included LMF fat infiltration (Goutallier grade), pain intensity (visual analog scale), functional disability (Oswestry Disability Index), and core stability (Sahrmann test). Assessments were conducted at baseline and post-intervention. We analyzed within-group change, between-group differences, and group × time interactions using mixed ANOVA; when assumptions were violated, we used non-parametric alternatives (including ART ANOVA). Effect sizes were reported.
resultsThirty-one participants completed the trial (CEG, n = 15; CPG, n = 16). Both groups showed significant improvements in clinical and functional outcomes (p < 0.05). The CEG additionally demonstrated greater CSA increases-especially at L3-L5 levels (p < 0.01)-and more notable reductions in fat infiltration (p < 0.05). Activity-related pain decreased by 4.4 points in the CEG versus 1.8 points in the CPG (p < 0.001). Functional disability improved by 31 points in the CEG compared to 10 points in the CPG (p < 0.001). Core stability increased to a median Sahrmann test level of 4 in the CEG versus 3 in the CPG (p < 0.001).
conclusionsCore stabilization exercises yielded superior improvements in LMF morphology, pain relief, functional recovery, and trunk control compared to conventional physiotherapy in individuals with CNSLBP. These findings support the integration of core-focused rehabilitation strategies into standard clinical practice for CNSLBP.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05302349, protocol ID: 2022-695, registered on March 21, 2022.
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