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Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Abstract

Background : Aquatic exercise is an important exercise for people who want to bestrong. The warmth and pressure of the water may further assist painrelief and ease the physical movement of chronic low back pain patients.Objective : This study is aimed to compare the change of trunk flexibility, backmuscle strength and pain scale before (week 0) and immediately afteraquatic exercise (week 6) in patients with chronic low back pain.Setting : Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, KhonKaen, Thailand.Design : Experimental research.Methodology : The study was done on 48 subjects that were divided into two groups.The average age of the subjects in the experimental (n = 25) was42.5 ± 3.5 years old, whereas that of the control group (n = 23) was41.8 ± 2.6 years old. Subjects baseline characteristics as well as trunkflexibility, back muscle strength and pain scale were recorded beforeand immediately after the program.Results : The trunk flexibility, back muscle strength and VAS of the subjects inthe control group were not significantly different after the program. Incontrast, the subjects in the experimental group showed significantlyincreased of the scores of trunk flexibility (p = 0.038), and back musclestrength (p = 0.045). In addition, these abilities were significantly betterthan those of the control group (p = 0.030 for trunk flexibility andp = 0.044 for back muscle strength). On the contrary, the subjects inthe control group had significantly greater VAS (p = 0.031) than that ofthe experimental group.Conclusions : The results of this study imply effects of aquatic exercises on theimprovement of trunk flexibility, back muscle strength and pain scale ofpatients with chronic low back pain.

Publisher

Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University

First Page

433

Last Page

445

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