***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: [ Purpose ] The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of mat Pilates and apparatus Pilates on pain and static balance of businesswomen with chronic back pain . [ Subjects and Methods ] Participants were r and omly allocated to Pilates mat exercises ( PME ) or Pilates apparatus exercise ( PAE ) , and performed the appropriate Pilates exercises 3 days per week for 8 weeks . In order to measure the improvement in the participants ’ static balance ability as a result of the exercise , the sway length and sway velocity of the subjects were measured before and after the experiment while the subjects stood on a Balance Performance Monitor ( BPM ) facing the front wall for 30 seconds with their eyes open . The visual analogue scale ( VAS ) was used to measure the degree of pain . [ Results ] The VAS score , sway length , and sway velocity of both groups decreased significantly after the experiment , but the PME group showed a greater decrease than the PAE group . [ Conclusion ] PME showed greater improvement in pain level and balance compared with PAE in this research . Since the subjects of this study were patients with low back pain , PME is assumed to have been more suitable and effective because it uses body weight to strengthen core muscles rather than heavier apparatuses as in PAE PURPOSE This single-assessor-blinded r and omized controlled trial aim ed to compare the efficacy of physiotherapy-delivered clinical Pilates and general exercise for chronic low back pain  . METHODS Eighty-seven community volunteers with low back pain for ≥3 months and age 18 - 70 were r and omized to either the Pilates ( n = 44 ) or general exercise ( n = 43 ) group . The primary outcome was pain/disability measured with the Quebec scale . Secondary outcomes included pain on a numeric rating scale , Patient-Specific Functional Scale , Pain Self-efficacy Question naire , quality of life , and global perceived effect of treatment . All participants attended 60-min exercise sessions twice weekly for 6 wk supervised by a physiotherapist and performed daily home exercises that were continued during the follow-up . Participants from the clinical Pilates group received an individualized direction-specific exercise program prescribed by the physiotherapist after a clinical examination . The general exercise group received a generic set of exercises that were multidirectional and nonspecific . Outcomes were assessed after 6 wk ( primary time point ) and at 12 and 24 wk . Differences in mean change were compared between groups using ANCOVA adjusted for baseline values of the outcome . RESULTS Eighty-three participants ( 96 % ) completed the 6-wk intervention and 60 ( 69 % ) completed the 24-wk follow-up . At 6 wk , no difference was found between groups for change in the Quebec scale ( 3.5 , 95 % confidence interval = -7.3 to 0.3 , P = 0.07 ) ; both groups showed significant improvements . Similar results were found at the 12- and 24-wk follow-up and for the secondary outcome measures . CONCLUSIONS An individualized clinical Pilates program produced similar beneficial effects on self-reported disability , pain , function and health-related quality of life  as a general exercise program in community volunteers with chronic low back pain Study Design . R and omized controlled trial . Objective . This is the companion study to a previous publication that presented 8-week pain , disability , and trunk muscle motor control results . The objective of this study was to compare the effect of 8 weeks of specific trunk exercises and stationary cycling on outcomes measures of catastrophizing and fear-avoidance beliefs ( FAB ) in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain , and provide 6-month outcome data for all self-report measures . Summary of Background Data . It is thought that any form of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is sufficient to address catastrophizing and FAB , and concomitant levels of pain and disability . Methods . Sixty-four patients with low back pain were r and omly assigned to 8 weeks of specific trunk exercise group ( SEG ) , or stationary cycling group ( CEG ) .  Self-rated pain , disability , catastrophizing and FAB scores were collected before , immediately after ( 8 wk ) , and 6 months after the training program . Clinical ly meaningful improvements were defined as greater than a 30 % reduction from baseline in pain and disability scores . “ Intention-to-treat ” principles were used for missing data . Per- protocol analysis was performed on participants who attended at least two-thirds of the exercise sessions . Results . At 8 weeks , disability was significantly lower in the SEG compared with the CEG ( d = 0.62 , P = 0.018 ) . Pain was reduced from baseline in both the groups after training ( P < 0.05 ) , but was lower for the SEG ( P < 0.05 ) . FAB scores were reduced in the SEG at 8 weeks , and in the CEG at 6 months . No between-group differences in FAB scores were observed . Similar reductions in catastrophizing in each group were observed at each time point . At 6 months , the overall data pattern suggested no long-term difference between groups . Per- protocol analysis of clinical ly meaningful improvements suggests no between-group differences for how many patients are likely to report improvement . Conclusion . Inferential statistics suggest greater improvements at 8 weeks , but not 6 months , for the SEG . Inspection of clinical ly meaningful changes based on a minimum level of adherence suggests no between-group differences . If a patient with low back pain adheres to either specific trunk exercises or stationary cycling , it is reasonable to think that similar improvements will be achieved . Level of Evidence : Abstract . When measuring treatment effect in chronic low back pain with multi-item outcome instruments , it is necessary , both for clinical decision-making and research purpose s , to underst and the clinical importance of the outcome scores . The aims of the present study were three-fold . Firstly , it aim ed to estimate the minimal clinical ly important difference of three multi-item outcome instruments ( the Oswestry Disability Index , the General Function Score and the Zung Depression Scale )  and of the  visual analogue scale ( VAS ) of back pain .  Secondly , it aim ed to estimate the error of measurement of these instruments ; and its third aim was to describe the clinical meaning of score change . The study population consisted of 289 patients treated surgically or non-surgically in a r and omised controlled trial . The minimal clinical ly important difference was estimated with patient global assessment as the external criterion . It was compared with the st and ard error of measurement of the instruments . The individual items of the instruments were compared for score changes related to improvement and deterioration . The st and ard error of measurement of the Oswestry Disability Index , the General Function Score and the Zung Depression Scale was 4 , 6 and 3 units , respectively . The 95 % tolerance interval was 10 , 16 and 8 units , respectively . The minimal clinical ly important difference was 10 , 12 and 8–9 units , respectively , thus not significantly exceeding the tolerance interval . The minimal clinical ly important difference of VAS back pain was 18–19 units , well exceeding the 95 % tolerance interval , which was 15 units . Improvement after treatment for chronic low back pain tends to occur to a greater extent in sleep disturbance , ability to do usual things and psychological irritability , but to a lesser extent in the ability to sit , st and and lift . We conclude that the VAS of back pain is responsive enough to detect the minimal clinical ly important difference , whereas the smallest acceptable score changes of the Oswestry Disability Index , the General Function Score and the Zung Depression Scale may require an increase to exceed the 95 % tolerance interval when used for clinical decision making and for power calculation . Despite improvement after treatment , the ability to sit , st and and lift , remain notable problems Study Design . A 22-month prospect i ve cohort study . Objectives . To describe the course of an inception cohort of patients with chronic low back pain . Summary of Background Data . Chronic low back pain is a debilitating condition with great medical and social cost . Methods . A cohort of 1246 patients with acute low back pain who sought treatment from 208 North Carolina providers was observed . Patients who developed chronic low back pain were identified . Entry criteria were back pain of less than 10 weeks ’ duration , no previous care for this episode of low back pain , no previous spine surgery , not pregnant , no nonskin malignancy , and access to a telephone . The providers were of four types : primary care medical doctors , doctors of Chiropractic , orthopedic surgeons , and health maintenance organization-based primary care providers . Patients were contacted by telephone shortly after enrollment and at 2 , 4 , 8 , 12 , and 24 weeks , with a final interview at 22 months . Patient functional status , care-seeking , and satisfaction were evaluated . Results . Ninety-six patients had chronic , continuous symptoms for 3 months , forming the inception cohort of chronic low back pain . A valid , reliable measure of back-specific functional disability also was used . Predictors of the development of chronicity were poor baseline functional status and sciatica . A more powerful predictor of chronicity was poor functional status at 4 weeks . Two thirds of patients with chronic low back pain at 3 months had functionally disabling symptoms at 22 months , and a majority of these were employed . Satisfaction with care was low . Forty-six patients ( 2.6 % of the entire cohort ) underwent surgery , with no statistically significant difference in surgical rates among initial provider strata . Patients who underwent surgery after 3 months had a Rol and disability score at 22 months of 10 ( 7.7 , 12.3 ) . Forty-one percent of patients with chronic low back pain see an orthopedic or neurologic surgeon . Chronic low back pain occurs in 7.7 % of patients who seek care for acute low back pain , with unremitting pain for 22 months in 4.7 % . Conclusion . Once established , chronic low back pain is persistent . Most patients with chronic low back pain seek little care , and a majority are employed . Future research should emphasize maintenance of employment and function STUDY DESIGN A r and omized controlled trial , prestest-posttest design , with a 3- , 6- , and 12-month follow-up . OBJECTIVES To investigate the efficacy of a therapeutic exercise approach in a population with chronic low back pain ( LBP ) . BACKGROUND Therapeutic approaches developed from the Pilates method are becoming increasingly popular ; however , there have been no reports on their efficacy . METHODS AND MEASURES Thirty-nine physically active subjects between 20 and 55 years old with chronic LBP were r and omly assigned to 1 of 2 groups . The specific-exercise-training group participated in a 4-week program consisting of training on specialized ( Pilates ) exercise equipment , while the control group received the usual care , defined as consultation with a physician and other specialists and healthcare professionals , as necessary . Treatment sessions were design ed to train the activation of specific muscles thought to stabilize the lumbar-pelvic region . Functional disability outcomes were measured with The Rol and Morris Disability Question naire ( RMQ/RMDQ-HK ) and average pain intensity using a 101-point numerical rating scale . RESULTS There was a significantly lower level of functional disability ( P = .023 ) and average pain intensity ( P = .002 ) in the specific-exercise-training group than in the control group following the treatment intervention period . The posttest adjusted mean in functional disability level in the specific-exercise-training group was 2.0 ( 95 % CI , 1.3 to 2.7 ) RMQ/RMDQ-HK points compared to a posttest adjusted mean in the control group of 3.2 ( 95 % CI , 2.5 to 4.0 ) RMQ/RMDQ-HK points . The posttest adjusted mean in pain intensity in the specific-exercise-training group was 18.3 ( 95 % CI , 11.8 to 24.8 ) , as compared to 33.9 ( 95 % CI , 26.9 to 41.0 ) in the control group . Improved disability scores in the specific-exercise-training group were maintained for up to 12 months following treatment intervention . CONCLUSIONS The individuals in the specific-exercise-training group reported a significant decrease in LBP and disability , which was maintained over a 12-month follow-up period . Treatment with a modified Pilates-based approach was more efficacious than usual care in a population with chronic , unresolved LBP Objective : To assess the effectiveness of pilates method on patients with chronic non-specific low back pain ( LBP ) . Method : A r and omized controlled trial was carried out in sixty patients with a diagnosis of chronic non-specific LBP . Patients were r and omly assigned to one of two groups : Experimental Group ( EG ) that maintained medication treatment with use of NSAID and underwent treatment with the pilates method and Control Group ( CG ) that continue medication treatment with use of NSAID and did not undergo any other intervention . A blinded assessor performed all evaluations at baseline ( T0 ) , after 45 , 90 , and 180 days ( T45 , T90 and T180 ) for : pain ( VAS ) , function ( Rol and Morris question naire ) , quality of life ( SF-36 ) , satisfaction with treatment ( Likert scale ) , flexibility ( sit and reach test ) and NSAID intake . Results : The groups were homogeneous at baseline . Statistical differences favoring the EG were found with regard to pain ( P < 0.001 ) , function ( P < 0.001 ) and the quality of life domains of functional capacity ( P < 0.046 ) , pain ( P < 0.010 ) and vitality ( P < 0.029 ) . Statistical differences were also found between groups regarding the use of pain medication at T45 , T90 and T180 ( P < 0.010 ) , with the EG taking fewer NSAIDs than the CG . Conclusions : The pilates method can be used by patients with LB 
    Output:
    
Patients with chronic low back pain showed statistically significant improvement in pain relief and functional ability compared to patients who only performed usual or routine health care .
However , other forms of exercise were similar to Pilates in the improvement of pain relief and functional capacity .
[ Conclusion ] In patients with chronic low back pain , Pilates showed significant improvement in pain relief and functional enhancement .