Functional training as a therapeutic approach for chronic low back pain

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the applied functional training on pain level, lumbar spine range of motion, pelvic anterior tilt, and limitations in daily functioning caused by chronic pain. Material and methods: Twenty women aged 20–24 with chronic low back pain participated in a 12-week therapy in the form of a functional training program. Both before and after the intervention period, measurements of lumbar spine range of motion and pelvic anterior tilt were taken for all participants. Pain levels were quantified using the VAS Scale, and disability levels were measured using the Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire. Statistical analysis were conducted using Statistica 13.3 (Student’s t-test, Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test, Pearson linear correlation). Results: The proposed training program significantly reduced the pain level (p < 0.05) from 4.80 to 1.35. There was a significant improvement in the overall assessment of disability caused by spinal pain in the Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire. The lumbar spine range of motion changed significantly (p < 0.05) in each of the examined planes. A significant decrease in the pelvic anterior tilt angle in the neutral position was observed in the subjects. Conclusions: The proposed functional training program contributed to reducing the perceived level of pain, improving the range of spinal motion and decreasing the degree of pelvic anterior tilt. The obtained results demonstrate the effectiveness of using functional training as a form of therapy in the treatment and prevention of low back pain and in improving the quality of participants’ lives.

Keywords

• lumbar spine
• pain
• functional training