Effectiveness of Different Weekly Frequency of Modified Pilates Method Exercises in the Treatment of Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain
Condition: Low Back Pain
MeSH terms: Back Pain; Low Back Pain
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Low back pain is a major cause of disability and absenteeism and the supervised exercise is a
      recommended treatment by the guidelines and has been cost-effective. Currently, the Pilates
      method has shown to be effective in improving pain and disability in patients with chronic
      low back pain (CLBP). However, there is still no evidence about the ideal number of sessions
      for the treatment and the interval between sessions to achieve better efficacy of this method
      for these patients. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the
      Pilates method with different weekly frequency of sessions in the treatment of patients with
      nonspecific CLBP. Investigators will assess 296 patients of both genders, with nonspecific
      CLBP lasting more than three months and aged between 18 and 80 years. Participants will be
      randomly divided into four groups (n = 74 patients per group): Control Group will receive an
      educational booklet and no additional exercise, Pilates 1 Group will receive a program of
      exercises based on Pilates method once a week for six weeks, Pilates 2 Group will receive the
      same program of exercises twice a week for six weeks and Pilates 3 Group will receive the
      same program of exercises three times a week for six weeks. The outcomes overall disability
      (Roland Morris Disability questionnaire), specific disability (Patient-Specific Functional
      scale), kinesiophobia (Tampa scale for kinesiophobia), pain intensity (Pain Numerical Rating
      scale) and global perceived effect (Global Perceived Effect scale) will be assessed by a
      blinded assessor before, six weeks, six and 12 months after randomization. Investigators
      expect that the largest number of weekly sessions of Pilates method may influence the results
      in all analyzes (short, medium and long term), since there is a relationship between
      frequency of exercises and effect size of the treatment.
    


Intervention name(s): Pilates 1; Pilates 2; Pilates 3; Control
Intervention type(s): Device; Device; Device; Device
Intervention description(s): Combination of an educational booklet with exercises of the Pilates method. Patients will receive 6 sessions of treatment over a period of 6 weeks (1 session/week). The exercises of the Pilates method will be individualized to each patient´s needs (pragmatic treatment).; Combination of an educational booklet with exercises of the Pilates method. Patients will receive 12 sessions of treatment over a period of 6 weeks (2 sessions/week). The exercises of the Pilates method will be individualized to each patient´s needs (pragmatic treatment).; Combination of an educational booklet with exercises of the Pilates method. Patients will receive 18 sessions of treatment over a period of 6 weeks (3 sessions/week). The exercises of the Pilates method will be individualized to each patient´s needs (pragmatic treatment).; Patients will receive an educational booklet containing information about the anatomy of the spine and pelvis and the low back pain and recommendations regarding posture and movements involved in activities of daily living. The participants in this group did not receive additional exercise.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Pilates-based exercises