Efficacy of kraus-weber exercise protocol in the management of chronic mechanical low back pain

Abstract EN

Objective: This study was carried out to determine the efficacy of Kraus-Weber exercises in the management of chronic mechanical low back pain (CMLBP).

Design: The equivalent group experimental design was used in the study.

Sample Size and Sampling Technique: Thirty volunteer participants with diagnosis of CMLBP took part in the study.

The fish bowl technique of simple random sampling was used to assign subjects into either the experimental (Kraus-Weber) or control (non-Kraus-Weber) group.

Interventions: Pain intensity, lumbar spine flexibility and functional abilities confidence level (FACL) were assessed before and after 6 weeks of treatment.

Subjects in the experimental group were treated using Kraus-Weber exercise, heat therapy, massage and back care education.

Subjects in the control group were also treated with heat therapy, massage and back care education excluding Kraus-Weber exercise.

Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics of Student t-test and Spearman rank correlation coefficient (Rho).

Significance was set at 0.05 alpha level.

Results: Results obtained showed that there was no significant difference in the pre-treatment parameters of the two groups studied.

There was significantly greater reduction in the post-6-weeks treatment pain intensity and significantly higher post-treatment functional abilities confidence level of the experimental than the control group subjects.

Patient’s abilities confidence level was found to increase as their pain intensity decreased.

Conclusions: Kraus-Weber exercise is an effective tool in the management of CMLBP when combined with heat therapy, massage and back care education.

Kraus-Weber exercise in addition to other modalities was therefore recommended in the management of CMLBP.