Efficiency of a controlled physical reconditioning monitored by maximal cardiovascular and metabolic parameters in patients with chronic low back pain

Abstract

Practice physical exercise on a regular basis is admitted to be an important element for health.In patients untrained during a chronic disease, the return is often difficult. A follow‐up is then necessary for reconditioning which will have to be maintained.In 101 patients with chronic low back pain, presenting a physical deconditioning, we have done a programmed physical training. They performed a 5 weeks training with 6 hours of exercise per day, 5 days a week. The exercises comprised endurance, muscledevelopment and limbering‐up. Patients were tested when included in the protocol and at the end of the 5 weeks. The exercise test was performed on a bicycle ergometer by progressive graded exercise from rest to maximal effort. The collected parameters comprised heart rate, followed all along the effort, the maximum work rate, the maximum oxygen consumption, the respiratory exchange ratio and the blood lactate level. The statistical comparison was made by paired t test.Taken together these parameters show a statistically significant improvement after physical reconditioning. These results confirm that physical restoration is a complementary factor of general physical condition as a health factor.