Effects of Adding Respiratory Exercises to Core Stability Training in Office Workers With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of integrating respiratory exercises with core stability training compared to core stability training alone in improving outcomes for males with chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP).

Design: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 28 male participants aged 35-55 years over an eight-week period.

Methods: Participants with CNLBP were recruited at the Sport Science Laboratory of Bu-Ali Sina University between September 2021 and October 2022. They were randomly assigned to either a combined core stability and respiratory exercise (CCSRE) group (n=14) or a core stability exercise (CSE) group (n=14). Outcome measures included the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) for functional disability, and Y-Balance Test (YBT) for dynamic balance, assessed 1-3 days before and after the intervention. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate group-by-time interactions (p<0.05).

Results: Significant group-by-time interactions were observed for pain (F = 22.17, p = 0.001, η² = 0.460), dynamic balance (F = 10.74, p = 0.003, η² = 0.292), and functional disability (F = 18.58, p = 0.001, η² = 0.417). The CCSRE group demonstrated greater reductions in pain and functional disability and larger improvements in dynamic balance compared to the CSE group.

Conclusion: The integration of respiratory exercises with core stability training significantly reduces pain and functional disability while enhancing dynamic balance in males with CNLBP compared to core stability training alone.

Clinical implications: Incorporating respiratory exercises into core stability training can enhance therapeutic outcomes for males with CNLBP, offering a more effective rehabilitation strategy to reduce pain and improve functional capacity.