• H Frost, J A Klaber Moffett, J S Moser, and J C Fairbank.
• Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Headington, Oxford.
• BMJ. 1995 Jan 21;310(6973):151-4.

ObjectiveTo evaluate a progressive fitness programme for patients with chronic low back pain.DesignSingle blind randomised controlled trial. Assessments were carried out before and after treatment by an observer blinded to the study and included a battery of validated measures. All patients were followed up by postal questionnaire six months after treatment.SettingPhysiotherapy department of orthopaedic hospital.Subjects81 patients with chronic low back pain referred from orthopaedic consultants for physiotherapy. The patients were randomly allocated to a fitness programme or control group.InterventionBoth groups were taught specific exercises to carry out at home and referred to a back-school for education in back care. Patients allocated to the fitness class attended eight exercise classes over four weeks in addition to the home programme and backschool.ResultsSignificant differences between the groups were shown in the changes before and after treatment in scores on the Oswestry low back pain disability index (P < 0.005), pain reports (sensory P < 0.05 and affective P < 0.005), self efficacy reports (P < 0.05), and walking distance (P < 0.005). No significant differences between the groups were found by the general health questionnaire or questionnaire on pain locus of control. A benefit of about 6 percentage points on the disability index was maintained by patients in the fitness group at six months.ConclusionThere is a role for supervised fitness programmes in the management of moderately disabled patients with chronic low back pain. Further clinical trials, however, need to be established in other centres to confirm these findings.

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