Author: Hanieh Ahmadi1, Hanieh Adib1, Maryam Selk-Ghaffari2, Misagh Shafizad3, Siavash Moradi4, Zahra Madani1, Gholamreza Partovi1, Aliakbar Mahmoodi1
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
<sup>2</sup> Sports Medicine Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
<sup>3</sup> Orthopedic Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
<sup>4</sup> Education Development Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Conference/Journal: Clin Rehabil
Date published: 2020 Jul 29
Other:
Pages: 269215520947069 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1177/0269215520947069. , Word Count: 229
PMID: 32723088 DOI: 10.1177/0269215520947069
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the effect of the Feldenkrais method versus core stability exercises on pain, disability, quality of life and interoceptive awareness in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain.
Design: A single-blinded, randomised, controlled trial.
Setting: Outpatient, sports medicine clinic of Mazandaran medical university.
Participants: Sixty patients with chronic non-specific low back pain randomised equally into the Feldenkrais method versus core stability exercises groups.
Intervention: Intervention group received Feldenkrais method consisting of training theoretical content and supervised exercise therapy two sessions per week for five weeks. Control group received educational programme and home-based core stability exercises for five weeks.
Outcome measures: All patients were examined by World Health Organization's Quality of life Questionnaire, McGill Pain Questionnaire, Oswestry Disability Questionnaire and Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness Questionnaire. All outcomes were measured at baseline and the end of the intervention.
Results: There were statistically significant differences between groups for quality of life (P = 0.006, from 45.51 to 60.49), interoceptive awareness (P > 0.001, from 2.74 to 4.06) and disability (P = 0.021, from 27.17 to 14.5) in favour of the Feldenkrais method. McGill pain score significantly decreased in both the Feldenkrais (from 15.33 to 3.63) and control groups (from 13.17 to 4.17), but there were no between-groups differences (P = 0.16).
Conclusion: Feldenkrais method intervention gave increased benefits in improving quality of life, improving interoceptive awareness and reducing disability index.
Keywords: Feldenkrais method; core stability exercises; interoceptive awareness; low back pain; quality of life.