A 4-week community aquatic physiotherapy program with Ai Chi or Bad Ragaz Ring Method improves disability and trunk muscle endurance in adults with chronic low back pain: A pilot study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the efficacy of a 4-week community aquatic physiotherapy program with Ai Chi or the Bad Ragaz Ring Method (BRRM) on pain and disability in adults with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

METHODS:

Adults with CLBP ( $n=$ 44; mean $\pm$ SD age, 52.6 $\pm$ 5.5 y; 37 women) were assigned to either an Ai Chi ( $n=$ 23) or BRRM ( $n=$ 21) program (4 weeks, twice weekly).

RESULTS:

Both the Ai Chi ( $-$ 1.4; 95% CI $-$ 2.6 to $-$ 0.2; $p=$ .025) and BRRM ( $-$ 2.0, 95% CI $-$ 3.1 to $-$ 0.8; $p=$ 0.003) groups demonstrated significant pre- to post-treatment decreases in Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire scores and improvements in prone bridge duration (Ai Chi: 11.7 s; 95% CI 1.6 to 21.8; $p=$ 0.025; BRRM: 19.0 s; 95% CI 6.1 to 31.8; $p=$ 0.006). The Ai Chi group revealed a significant improvement in single-leg stand test duration (2.9 s; 95% CI 0.1 to 5.7; $p=$ 0.045) and the BRRM group reported significant decrease in pain intensity ( $-$ 11.6; 95% CI $-$ 19.1 to $-$ 4.2; $p=$ 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS:

A 4-week aquatic physiotherapy program with Ai Chi or BRRM resulted in significant pre- to post-treatment improvements in disability and global core muscle endurance. Ai Chi appeared to have an additional benefit of improving single-leg standing balance and BRRM an additional benefit of reducing pain.