It is not possible to establish which types of exercises are the most effective. However, there is a lack of consensus on which of the many treatments available is the best for chronic back pain. Reviewers provided a descriptive summary of trials, methodological assessment together with a 'positive' or 'negative' conclusion for each trial as concluded in the original report. Type of exercise, control interventions and length of intervention varied between trials. Ten trials had negative conclusions and six had positive conclusions.
Reviewers note that there is a general trend for higher quality trials to have positive results.
Blinding status was unclear, but ten of sixteen appeared to be evaluator-blind. One of four trials showed a benefit of exercise therapy for pain and activity at four and 12 weeks, but this did not persist to three months. The remaining trials showed no benefit for acute pain, sciatic symptoms and chronic low back pain. Seven trials compared exercise therapy with other conservative treatments. The second study showed benefit was still present at one year.