Does resistance training improve pain intensity, quality of life, and disability in people with chronic nonspecific low back pain? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 41065407 · doi:10.1080/09638288.2025.2566275
What was done
Systematic review and pairwise random-effects meta-analysis searching MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library through April 2025. The authors included randomized controlled trials comparing resistance training with any comparison treatment for pain intensity, quality of life, or disability in adults with nonspecific chronic low back pain. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool and certainty of evidence was evaluated with GRADE.
What was found
Ten randomized controlled trials with 434 total participants showed improvements favoring resistance training for pain intensity (SMD = -1.15; 95% CI [-1.67, -0.62], p < 0.0001), quality of life (SMD = 0.82; 95% CI [0.19, 1.46], p = 0.01), and disability (SMD = -2.76; 95% CI [-3.90, -1.62], p < 0.00001). Only pain intensity reached clinical significance. Evidence certainty was rated as moderate for all outcomes.
Why it matters
This meta-analysis demonstrates that structured resistance training provides statistically significant benefits across pain, disability, and quality of life in chronic low back pain, with clinically meaningful improvements in pain intensity.
Limits
The total sample size across ten trials was small (n = 434, averaging roughly 43 participants per trial). Disability and quality of life improvements did not achieve clinical significance. Specific exercise modalities, training adherence, adverse events, and long-term follow-up outcomes were not reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Studies demonstrate that resistance training decreases lower back pain.