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Controlled Clinical Trial
. 2013 Jan;14(1):145-58.
doi: 10.1111/pme.12002. Epub 2012 Dec 28.

Effects of different frequencies (2-3 days/week) of aquatic therapy program in adults with chronic low back pain. A non-randomized comparison trial

Pedro Angel Baena-Beato  1 , Manuel Arroyo-Morales, Manuel Delgado-Fernández, Maria Claudia Gatto-Cardia, Enrique G Artero
Affiliations
Controlled Clinical Trial

Effects of different frequencies (2-3 days/week) of aquatic therapy program in adults with chronic low back pain. A non-randomized comparison trial

Pedro Angel Baena-Beato et al. Pain Med. 2013 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: To study the effects of an aquatic therapy program with different frequencies (2 vs 3 days per week) in chronic low back pain.

Design: [corrected] Non-randomized comparison trial.

Setting: Sport and spa community health club.

Subjects: Fifty-four adults with chronic low back pain (48.9 ± 10.0 years).

Intervention: Eight-week aquatic therapy program.

Outcome measures: Pain (visual analog scale [VAS]), disability (Oswestry Disability Index), and quality of life (Short-Form Health Survey 36), body composition (weight, body mass index, body fat mass, body fat percentage, and skeletal muscle mass), and health-related fitness (sit and reach, handgrip strength, curl-up, Rockport 1-mile test).

Results: Both experimental groups presented significant improvements in low back pain and disability (P < 0.001) compared with control group. The 3 days/week group showed significantly greater benefits at VAS flexion and disability (P < 0.001) than the 2 days/week group. Regarding quality of life, both intervention groups presented significant differences for Physical Role (P < 0.05), Bodily Pain (P < 0.001), General Health (P = 0.012), and Standardized Physical Component (P < 0.001) compared with control group. Both experimental groups significantly improved all health-related fitness parameters (P < 0.01). The 3 days/week group showed significantly greater benefits at curl-up and heart rate (P < 0.001) than the 2 days/week group. No significant changes between treatment groups and control were found in body composition.

Conclusions: Eight weeks of aquatic therapy program decrease levels of back pain and disability, increase quality of life, and improve health-related fitness in adults with chronic low back pain without effects in body composition. A dose-response effect was observed in some parameters, with greater benefits when exercising 3 days per week compared with 2 days.

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