The Effect of Four weeks Exercise in water on the Disability, Flexibility, and Strength of Spinal Muscle in Middle-aged Men with Non-specific Chronic Low Back Pain

Abstract  Background & Objective: Non-specific chronic low back pain is the most common type of chronic low back pain in today's society and achieving a therapeutic exercise program has always been the focus of improvement in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain. The current study aims at investigating the effects of 4 weeks exercise in the water on the disability, flexibility, and muscle strength of middle-aged men with non-specific chronic low back pain. Materials and Methods In this quasi-experimental study, 25 middle-aged men with nonspecific chronic low back pain referred to Noorafshar Hospital in Tehran were randomly divided into two groups, Water Training (n = 13) and control (n = 12). The training group carried out the selected exercise for 4 weeks and 3 sessions in a week. Before and after the exercise protocol, disability, flexor muscle strength, and hamstring flexibility were measured using the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, Straight Leg Lowering test, Dynamometer, and SLR Test, respectively. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using t-test (intra-group changes) and independent t-test (inter-group differences).   Results: After the intervention, the level of disability in the experimental group was significantly reduced compared to the control group (P = 0.001). Also hamstring flexibility (P = 0.001) and the strength (P = 0.001) and flexibility of trunk flexor muscles (P = 0.001) were significantly increased in the experimental group. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that exercise in water can have positive effects on reducing disability, increasing hamstring flexibility and trunk muscle strength in men with nonspecific chronic low back pain. Therefore, exercise in water recommended as a method for middle-aged men with non-specific chronic low back pain that has trunk muscle weakness, reduced hamstring flexibility, and increased disability