Background: Although various exercises have been performed for patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), the effects of these exercises including joint mobilization, gym ball exercises, and breathing exercises on flexion relaxation ratio (FRR) have not been compared.
Objective: To compare the effects of joint mobilization, gym ball exercises, and breathing exercises on the flexion relaxation phenomenon (FRP) and pain in patients with chronic low back pain.
Design: Randomized pretest-posttest control group design.
Methods: Thirty-six patients with chronic low back pain who were undergoing rehabilitation at a rehabilitation center were included. The patients were randomly divided into three groups: joint mobilization group (JMG; n=12), gym ball exercise group (GBG; n=12), and breathing exercise group (BEG; n=12). The exercises were performed for 40 minutes a day, twice a week, for a total of 12 weeks.
Results: There were no significant differences in FRR between the three groups (P>.05). Significant decreases in the modified visual analog scale (MVAS) scores after intervention between the groups were found (P<.05). The GBG was significantly decreases from the JMG in the MVAS (P<.05). However, there were significant improvements between the pre- and post-interventional findings on FRR and MVAS in the three groups (P<.05).
Conclusion: We demonstrated that intervention using joint mobilization, gym ball exercises, and breathing exercises improve FRP and pain in patients with CLBP.

INTRODUCTION
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
    Subjects
    Outcome Measure
    Experimental Procedures
    Intervention
    Data analysis
RESULTS
    Comparison of the pain
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES

• Chaegil Lim(Department of Physical Therapy, Gachon University) Correspondence