Effect of quick simple exercise on non-specific low back pain in Japanese workers: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: We designed a quick simple exercise program that can be performed in a short period of time in real-world occupational health settings and investigated the effects of three months of program implementation on non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). METHODS: Participants were 136 individuals working in the manufacturing industry. The quick simple exercise program was designed to be doable in three minutes and consisted of two exercises: a hamstring stretch and a lumbar spine rotation with forward, backward, and lateral flexion. This was a randomized controlled trial incorporating an intervention group to whom the exercises were recommended within a leaflet, and a control group to whom the exercises were not recommended. NSLBP was evaluated at baseline and after three months using numerical rating scale (NRS) scores, ranging from 0 points (no pain at all) to 10 points (worst pain imaginable). The percentages of cases that improved by a minimal clinically important difference (two points or above) were compared. RESULTS: Overall, 76.1% of the intervention group participants performed the quick simple exercises at least once every one or two days. Three months after baseline, a significantly higher percentage of participants in the intervention group (17 participants: 25%) had NSLBP improvement of two or more points on the NRS compared to that in the control group (8 participants, 12%) (P = 0.047). The average NRS score decreased significantly from 1.87 ± 1.86 to 1.33 ± 1.60 in the intervention group but showed no significant change in the control group, transitioning from 1.46 ± 1.73 to 1.52 ± 1.83. A significant interaction was also observed between the intervention and control groups (F = 6.550, P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Three months of a quick simple exercise program among workers in the manufacturing industry increased the percentage of workers with improvement in the NRS scores. This suggests that the program is effective in managing NSLBP in workers in the manufacturing industry. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN-CTR UMIN000024117.