• Dimitris Chatzitheodorou, Chris Kabitsis, Paraskevi Malliou, and Vassilis Mougios.
• Department of Physical Therapy, Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, PO Box 141, 57400 Sindos, Greece. dim_chatzi@yahoo.com
• Phys Ther. 2007 Mar 1;87(3):304-12.

Background And PurposeGiven the complex nature of chronic pain, the effects of high-intensity aerobic exercise on pain, disability, psychological strain, and serum cortisol concentrations in people with chronic low back pain were investigated.SubjectsTwenty subjects receiving primary health care were randomly allocated into exercise and control groups.MethodsSubjects in the exercise group received a 12-week, high-intensity aerobic exercise program. Subjects in the control group received 12 weeks of passive modalities without any form of physical activity.ResultsData analysis identified reductions in pain (41%, t(10)=8.51, P<.001), disability (31%, t(10)=7.32, P<.001), and psychological strain (35%, t(10)=7.09, P<.001) in subjects in the exercise group and no changes in subjects in the control group. High-intensity exercise failed to influence serum cortisol concentrations.Discussion And ConclusionRegular high-intensity aerobic exercise alleviated pain, disability, and psychological strain in subjects with chronic low back pain but did not improve serum cortisol concentrations.

31 keywords...

hide…