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QUESTION: In patients with subacute or chronic low back pain, does a community exercise programme help them return to normal activities?
Design
Randomised {allocation concealed*}†, blinded {outcome assessors},*† controlled trial with 1 year follow up.
Setting
General practices in the York region of England.
Patients
187 patients who were 18 to 60 years of age (mean age 42 y, 57% women), had mechanical low back pain for ≥4 weeks but <6 months, and were deemed medically fit for exercise by their general practitioners (GPs). Exclusion criteria included serious spinal pathological findings, concurrent use of physiotherapy, or inability to attend exercise classes. Follow up was 87% and 91% at 6 and 12 months, respectively.
Intervention
Patients were allocated to an exercise program, 8 one hour sessions over 4 weeks …