Non-specific chronic low back pain is a major health issue which contributes to acute and chronic pain.

This study reviews exercise as an effective treatment strategy for non-specific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP). There is wide use of exercise protocols but still it is not clear that what type of exercise is more effective in decreasing pain, disability and normalizing muscle activation patterns in people with chronic low back pain. The objective of this study is to estimate the effects of two exercise protocols (stabilization vs movement control) on pain and then calculating the disability scores and the flexion relaxation ratio (FRR) of lumbar multifidus (LM) and iliocostalis lumbarum pars thoracic (ICLT) in people with extension related to non-specific chronic low back pain.

The study design is based on Pilot randomized control trial. The study relies on a method in which 32 subjects with active extension pattern chronic low back pain (stabilization group = 16, movement control group = 16) were selected. A four-week exercise therapy was given to treatment group.

Results of this study were based on pain score (Numeric rating Scale-NRS), disability (Oswestry Disability Index- ODI) and FRR of the LM and ICLT. From each group 4 people dropped out of the study due to reasons unrelated to the protocols of the study. A reduction in Pain and disability was noticed in both groups, with no reliable difference between the groups. There was no change in FRR of LM in any of treatment group after treatment but there was an increase in FRR of ICLT after treatment in the movement control group.

It was concluded at last that there was reduction in pain and disability in short term among people with extension pattern NSCLBP but there was no difference in effectiveness between the groups when a movement control and stabilization exercise therapy was given. However, movement control exercises were more potent in normalizing back muscle activation patterns as compared to stabilization exercises.