Research

Mixed

For adults with non-specific chronic low back pain, Pilates, resistance, stabilisation/motor control, and aerobic exercise training are the most effective treatments for reducing pain and improving physical function compared to no intervention.

If you have chronic low back pain without a specific structural cause, active exercise is superior to passive treatments like massage or heat. Specifically, Pilates, resistance training, stabilisation exercises, or aerobic activity are the most effective options. Aim for at least 4 weeks of consistent practice (1-7 times per week). Avoid relying solely on stretching or McKenzie exercises if you are not seeing results, as evidence suggests they may not differ from no treatment for pain or function.

LimitedSupportsLOW confidence
There is low quality evidence that Pilates, stabilisation/motor control, resistance training and aerobic exercise training are the most effective treatments, pending outcome of interest, for adults with NSCLBP.
Patrick J. Owen et al. · British Journal of Sports Medicine · 2019

Why this rating

The study is a network meta-analysis of RCTs, but the GRADE assessment rates the evidence quality as 'Low' due to risk of bias and inconsistency.

Source

Which specific modes of exercise training are most effective for treating low back pain? Network meta-analysis

Patrick J. Owen et al. · British Journal of Sports Medicine · 2019

DOI 10.1136/bjsports-2019-100886

Meta-analysis · 89 studiesCited 557×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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