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 ± SD age, 52.6 ± 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.
Keywords: Ai Chi; Bad Ragaz Ring Method; Chronic low back pain; aquatic physiotherapy; disability; water exercise.