Impact of a Combined Exercise Programme on Pain, Disability, Health-Related Quality of Life, Sleep, Function, Sports Performance and Strength in Athletes With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Abstract

Aims: This randomised controlled trial examined the impact of a combined stabilisation exercise (SE) and back extensor endurance exercise (BEEE) programme versus BEEE alone on pain, disability, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), sleep, function, sports performance, peak force and peak power in athletes with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

Methods: Forty-eight university-level athletes with CLBP were randomly assigned to either the SE + BEEE group or the BEEE alone group. Both groups received their respective exercise interventions three times per week for 8 weeks. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 8th week, and 12-week follow-up. Repeated measures ANOVA with partial eta-squared (ηp²) effect sizes was used to evaluate group, time, and interaction effects.

Results: Significant time effects were observed across all outcomes (p < 0.05). Significant time × group interactions (p < 0.05) were found for pain (ηp² = 0.17), disability (ηp² = 0.14), functional score (ηp² = 0.07), sprint (ηp² = 0.45), and agility (ηp² = 0.23), indicating greater improvements in the SE + BEEE group than in the BEEE alone group. Both groups improved in HRQoL, sleep, peak force and power over time with no interaction effects. Most improvements achieved after 8 weeks were maintained at 12-week follow-up.

Conclusions: While both exercise regimens yielded significant improvements, adding SEs to BEEE resulted in larger effect sizes and greater gains in key outcomes including pain, disability, function, and sports performance compared with BEEE alone, highlighting the added benefit of combined training in athletes with CLBP.