EFFECT OF AEROBIC EXERCISE ON SYMPTOMS, FUNCTIONAL STATUS AND MOOD STATES IN PATIENTS WITH LOW BACK PAIN

Abstract

1389 This study evaluated aerobic exercise as a sole intervention to determine its effect on symptoms, functional status and mood profile of low back patients (LBP). Twenty-one men and fourteen women with LBP were matched by clinical criteria into a control group (N=18) and experimental group (N=17). The control group did not receive any exercise intervention and was instructed to live their lives as normal and not to participate in any exercise program. The experimental group received an aerobic exercise (AE) prescription consisting of walking or cycling, performed 4 days per week at an intensity of 50% maximal age predicted heart rate, for 45 minutes per session. Subjects were assessed before, half way through, and after the 10 week intervention using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). Favorable mood changes were observed in the AE group as compared to controls on the POMS subscales of Depression (2.35 vs 5.88), Anger (0.94 vs 5.77), and Tension (-0.11 vs. 4.50) after 5 weeks (p<0.05) and in Depression (3.64 vs. 9.44), Anger (1.82 vs. 8.16), and Total Mood Disturbance (TMD)(19.11 vs. -9.58) after 10 weeks (p <0.05). Trend analysis also suggested a positive trend of AE for the Anger, Vigor, Confusion, and TMD subscales (p <0.05). No change was found in the PCS and BPI parameters. Thus, a low to moderate AE prescription is an effective therapy for favorably changing mood profiles for LBP patients but may not be an effective therapy for reducing pain/symptoms or decreasing catastrophizing behavior.