The Effectiveness of Four Interventions for the Prevention of Low Back Pain
JAMAPublished 26 October 1994
Amnon Lahad
Citations219
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score5.35
SNIP10.71
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TL;DR
There is limited evidence to recommend exercise to prevent low back pain in asymptomatic individuals, but there is insufficientevidence to recommend other prevention strategies.
Abstract
There is limited evidence to recommend exercise to prevent low back pain in asymptomatic individuals, but there is insufficient evidence to recommend other prevention strategies. These conclusions should be viewed cautiously since they are primarily based on studies conducted in the workplace rather than in clinical settings.
Keywords
MedicineHealth Professions
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