Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine—2nd Edition

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Three-Dimensional Motion Analysis Room, Aichi Prefectural Mikawa Aoitori Medical and Rehabilitation Center for Developmental Disabilities, Okazaki 444-0002, Japan
Interests: physiotherapy treatment; physiotherapy exercise; physical function; motion analysis; gait analysis; biomechanics; geriatric rehabilitation; stroke rehabilitation; physiotherapy children; muscle training; motor control; prevention; health promotion; healthcare; proprioception; balance control; rehabilitation medicine; community health; rehabilitation engineering; low back pain; pain; pain rehabilitation
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

To improve a patient’s physical ability, effective physiotherapy and occupational therapy treatment and an assessment of comprehensive rehabilitation appear to be important. Thus, a proper understanding of clinical factors along with adequate physiotherapy and occupational therapy has become a critical component of any rehabilitation approach. In addition, the accurate assessment of physical or motor function can lead to the early detection and prevention of disease. Therefore, it is critically important that physiatrists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists constantly develop their knowledge and techniques. This Special Issue aims to serve as a global forum for the discussion of all aspects of motion analysis, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and rehabilitation studies including evaluation, treatment, and prevention.

Dr. Tadashi Ito
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • physiotherapy
  • rehabilitation
  • gait analysis
  • muscle training
  • motor control
  • physical medicine
  • comprehensive clinical medicine
  • prevention
  • healthcare
  • biomechanics
  • physical function
  • postural control
  • falls
  • low back pain
  • children’s health
  • physical activity

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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20 pages, 2744 KiB  
Systematic Review
Pain and Disability Therapy with Stabilization Exercises in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Meta-Analysis
by Vanja Dimitrijević, Bojan Rašković, Nikola Jevtić, Siniša Nikolić, Dejan Viduka and Borislav Obradović
Healthcare 2025, 13(9), 960; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13090960 - 22 Apr 2025
Viewed by 939
Abstract
Background: Chronic low back pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide, necessitating effective interventions to alleviate pain and improve function. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of stabilization exercises for pain relief and disability reduction in patients with chronic low back [...] Read more.
Background: Chronic low back pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide, necessitating effective interventions to alleviate pain and improve function. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of stabilization exercises for pain relief and disability reduction in patients with chronic low back pain. Methods: A meta-analysis was conducted following PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines. Randomized controlled trials evaluating stabilization exercises for chronic low back pain were included. Subgroup analyses were performed based on treatment duration, type of pain (specific vs. non-specific), study quality, and exercise type. Effect sizes were calculated using standardized mean differences (SMD), and evidence quality was assessed using the GRADE tool. Results: A total of 23 studies involving 1132 participants were included. The meta-analysis revealed that longer treatment durations (8–12 weeks) showed the strongest effects on pain reduction (SMD = −0.88) and disability improvement (SMD = −0.85). For pain type, non-specific low back pain responded better (SMD = −0.81 for pain, −0.73 for disability) compared to specific LBP (SMD = −0.61 and −0.42, respectively). The 6-week duration also demonstrated moderate effects (SMD = −0.72 for pain). Core stability exercises had superior pain reduction (SMD = −0.90, large effect) compared to spinal stability exercises (SMD = −0.57), while spinal stability exercises showed higher-quality evidence for disability improvement (SMD = −0.56, high-quality) versus core stability (SMD = −0.62, low-quality). Conclusion: Stabilization exercises are a highly effective intervention for chronic low back pain, offering significant pain relief and functional improvement. They outperform other common interventions and should be prioritized in clinical practice, particularly in longer-duration, supervised programs. These findings provide strong evidence to guide treatment protocols and improve outcomes for patients with chronic low back pain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine—2nd Edition)
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