Four-Week Training Involving Thoracic Flexibility Training Versus Lumbar Stabilization Training in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study was designed to compare the effects of the thoracic flexibility training (TFT) and lumbar stabilization training (LST) in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). The visual analog scale (VAS), autonomic nerve activity (ANA), standard deviation normal to normal (SDNN), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and Beck depression index (BDI) were measured in patients with CLBP. Twenty-two participants were divided into two groups: TFT (n = 11) or the LST (n = 11) group. Both groups received standard physical therapy and in addition, TFT and LST were trained 3 times a week during 4 weeks. The VAS, ANA, SDNN, ODI, and BDI were measured after the training. Both groups significantly improved in VAS, ANA, SDNN, ODI, and BDI compared to the baseline (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the VAS, ANA, SDNN, ODI, and BDI significantly improved in the TFT group compared to the LST group (p < 0.05). The results of present research demonstrate that both trainings are improving lumbar pain, heart rate variability, disability, and depression. However, TFT was more effective improving the VAS, ANA, SDNN, ODI, and BDI.