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BACKGROUND:

Low back pain (LBP) is a common cause for disabilities and reduced autonomy in older adults. Exercise therapy has shown to be effective in the reduction of the symptoms of LBP with bridging exercises as a commonly used intervention. Exercise therapy can be supported with biofeedback-based methods in order to further improve motor control. The availability of relatively inexpensive devices like the Nintendo Wii opens up new methods for the treatment for biofeedback-based exercises for patients with LBP.

METHODS:

We conducted a 3-armed randomized controlled trial (biofeedback, standard care and control) with 62 older adults aged 66 to 89 years and an intervention period of twelve weeks with 2 sessions/week. Primary outcome was the perceived disability using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Additionally, we evaluated usability and user acceptance of the feedback system.

RESULTS …