The Effectiveness of Group-Based Core Stability Exercise and Educational Booklet for Hospital Workers in Taiwan with Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

To investigate the effectiveness of health promotion strategies for nonspecific low back pain in hospital workers, we compared the therapeutic effects of group-based core stability exercises and an educational booklet. Subjects participated in a 60-min core stability exercise on a weekly basis for 8 weeks (N = 24) or consulted an educational booklet for advice (N = 22). The numerical rating scale (NRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and the brief version of the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) were used as outcome measures. The ODI, as well as the total score and domains of overall, physical, and psychological health in the WHOQOL-BREF were significantly improved in the exercise group (p < 0.05). The NRS score significantly improved in the booklet group (p < 0.05). The total score, psychological domain, and environmental domain of the WHOQOL-BREF improved significantly in the exercise group compared with the booklet group (p < 0.05). Group-based core stability exercises and educational booklets are helpful to hospital workers in different ways for nonspecific low back pain. In contrast to the pain reduction by the educational booklet, more active participation in group-based core stability exercise can provide a better outcome in the overall quality of life, especially in the psychological and environmental domains of hospital workers.

“Back Health 24/7/365”—A Novel, Comprehensive “One Size Fits All” Workplace Health Promotion Intervention for Occupational Back Health among Hospital Employees

“…It has been known already for a long time that healthcare workers—in particular nurses—are at an increased risk of developing work-related back pain [ 1 ]. Depending on the occupational group, their lifetime prevalence rate of problems in the lower back area is up to 85% [ 2 ]. This not only negatively impacts healthcare systems from the economic perspective [ 3 , 4 ] but also negatively impacts the healthcare system itself [ 5 ].…”

Effect of Deep Stabilization System Training on the Shot Velocity in Professional Female Handball Players: Cross-sectional Study

“…The muscles of the shoulder girdle, flexors and rotators of the trunk, muscles that allow the arm to be raised above the horizontal axis of the shoulder, muscles that are used when moving the arms backward, and the muscles of the forearm and hand for gripping the ball together with the deep stabilizing muscles form the so-called muscle chain consisting of local and global stabilizers (Ammer et al, 2022, Bernacíková, 2010, Kostadinović et al, 2020, Srhoj et al, 2012. The mentioned muscles are one of the prerequisites for a movement pattern based on a kinetic chain, the components of which must work together to achieve proper movement, preventing muscle imbalance or injury (Lin et al, 2022, Manchado et al, 2017, Thurgood and Paternoster, 2014, Szczygieł et al 2018. One factor that influences the functioning of this kinetic chain during shooting is the muscles of the DSS of the spine.…”

“…Besides others, they include, the trunk and pelvic muscles, which are responsible for maintaining the stability of the spine and pelvis while helping to generate and transfer energy from the significant parts of the body to the small ones. Stability of the center of the body (so-called postural stability) is the ability of the human body to ideally distribute and control the forces acting on the skeleton not only during static standing but also during movement activities, with the help of movement and muscle tension of agonists and antagonists of the muscles of the trunk, pelvis, and lower limbs, and thereby ensuring stability even in complex movement activities, such as shooting in handball (Lin et al, 2022, Kibler et al, 2006, Rivera, 2016.…”