Comparative study of pain-disability outcomes and mobility-endurance outcomes following combined ELDOA and core strengthening exercises for chronic non-specific low back pain: A pre-post interventional study

Abstract

There are many discussions regarding which domain of outcome — pain and disability, or mobility and
endurance — responds more strongly when spinal decompression exercises are combined with core
strengthening in the management of chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP), because until now
there has been a trend of studying pain relief in isolation from mobility and endurance gains. The
purpose of this comparative study was to examine the relative magnitude of improvement in pain-
disability outcomes (VAS, ODI) versus mobility-endurance outcomes (lumbar ROM, postural
alignment, McGill core endurance) in thirty people with chronic non-specific low back pain who
underwent a structured six-week program of combined ELDOA and core strengthening exercises, five
sessions each week. Both outcome domains were assessed before and after the intervention. Both
domains showed statistically significant improvement, however the pain-disability domain showed a
somewhat greater average magnitude of improvement than the mobility-endurance domain. These
findings highlight the differential magnitude of response across outcome domains when combined
spinal decompression and core stabilization exercises are used in the treatment of chronic low back
pain.