Abstract
Examining the effect of muscle stretching and self-training (hospital-prescribed method) for chronic lower-back pain. The maximum treatment period in the survey was 3 months since the previous outpatient consultation. The test group was divided into three: a control group, Exercise 1 group (carrying out SLR with trunk muscle contract relaxation), and Exercise 2 group (carrying out SLR with trunk muscle strengthening and lower back stretching).
For each group, the pain, change of physical function and health-related QOL were examined at 3 months and 6 months after the start of the research period.
The results showed that in the Exercise 2 group, pain and physical function was improved at 3 months; in the Exercise 1 group, almost the same effect was shown as in the Exercise 2 group at 6 months. The item which was most closely related to pain alleviation was trunk flexibility and trunk extension strength.
In conclusion, for outpatients suffering chronic lower-back pain, follow-up treatment which gives precedence to trunk muscle strengthening and flexibility improvement through self-training would be an effective means of alleviating pain and improving physical function and patient satisfaction.
