Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Predictors of change in trunk muscle strength for patients with chronic low back pain randomized to lumbar fusion or cognitive intervention and exercises.
We have previously reported in two randomized controlled trials that cognitive intervention and exercises more effectively improved isokinetic trunk muscle strength than lumbar fusion and postoperative rehabilitation in patients with chronic low back pain. The aim of the present study was to predict changes in muscle strength as regard to changes in pain, function, fear-avoidance beliefs (self-rated questionnaires), changes in cross-sectional area and density of the back muscles and treatment. ⋯ Our results emphasize the central role of pain and treatment for the improvements in muscle strength in patients with chronic low back pain.