Objective: It has been shown that the size of multifidus muscle reduces in the patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). As these muscles are responsible to provide the sensory information which is necessary for balance control system, we have supposed the multifidus atrophy may damage balance control system and consequently may provide poor posture for CLBP patient and delay healing process for them. Therefore, we have design this study to investigate the relationship between the size of lumbar multifidus muscle and balance control pattern in CLBP patients and also to find if lumbar stabilizing exercises may increase the size of multifidus muscle and improve its sensory output for balance control system in CLBP patients.
Method: By considering Inclusion Criteria (Patient who suffer chronic low back pain for more than 3 months, without any certain reason) and Exclusion criteria (Neuromuscular, Musculosketal, Cardiovascular, respiratory and diabetic conditions, Systemic disease, Spondylolistesis or spondylolysis, surgical procedure on lumbar, pressure on the lumbar nerve root, disc herniation, Polyneuropathy, Carsinoma, lumbar trauma report within tha last week,vertebral tumor, pregnancy and low back patients who received lumbar exercise within the last three months). 60 CLBP patients will be randomly assigned in one of the two experimental groups (Stabilization Exercise group and Mc-Kenzi Exercise group, n=30 in each group). The protocol include twice daily exercise for period of 4 weeks. All measurements include; the level of pain, size of lumbar multifidus, static and dynamic balance and functional performance.