Adherence to a stability exercise programme in patients with chronic low back pain

BackgroundChronic low back pain is a major cause of disability. The most effective intervention is exercise, with higher benefits in terms of pain and function.ObjectiveKnowing the level of adherence to therapeutic exercise is essential to assess the effectiveness of health services, for planning strategies, optimising resources, and promoting the full recovery of patients in less time.Material and methodsA prospective, observational study with 6 months follow-up was performed on 31 patients with chronic low back pain who underwent a lumbar stability programme. Rating scales for pain, function, anxiety, depression and fear of avoidance were applied. Adherence was recorded using daily therapy diary. Parametric tests were performed to determine correlations of interest, and to evaluate the changes presented over time.ResultsThe percentage of adherence was 82–84% during the 3 trimesters. There were no correlations between adherence and socio-demographic variables, depression, anxiety, or fear of avoidance. Patients categorised as adherent showed faster and more significant improvements in pain and function (p>0.05).ConclusionsAt the end of the study all patients had a significant improvement in pain and function. Depressed patients showed higher scores on scales of pain and disability at the beginning and end of the study. However, neither depression, anxiety, nor fear of running activity were predictors of non-adherence to the therapy