Objective To study the application effect of a series of rehabilitation exercise prescriptions on chronic low back pain in sedentary occupational populations.

Methods From January 2021 to December 2023, 56 cases diagnosed as chronic low back pain in sedentary occupational populations were selected and divided into treatment and control groups, each with 28 cases, by using the method of randomized numerical table. The cases in both groups received identical medium-frequency electrical stimulation and manual therapy, administered by a group of rehabilitation physicians/therapists, with all undergoing a 4-week treatment cycle consisting of 3 times per week. Besides, the cases in the treatment group received rehabilitation exercise prescription intervention, including core strength training, stability training, and muscle stretching training, for 6 weeks consisting of 3 times per week. The pain visual analog score (VAS), Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI), and flexor and extensor muscle strength were measured before the intervention and 4 weeks and 8 weeks after the intervention, respectively, and the effect of the intervention was assessed using the independent samples t-test and paired t-test.

Results All cases had lower VAS scores, lower ODI values, and higher flexor and extensor muscle strengths than those of the pre-intervention period at 4 and 8 weeks after the intervention, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.01). In the pre-intervention and 4 weeks post-intervention, the differences between the treatment group and the control group in terms of VAS scores, ODI values, flexor muscle strength, and extensor muscle strength were not statistically significant (all P > 0.05), but in the 8 weeks post-intervention, the VAS scores and ODI values were lower than those of the control group, and the flexor muscle strength and extensor muscle strength of cases in the treatment group were higher than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05).

Conclusions  The rehabilitation exercise prescription combining core area strength training, stability training, and muscle stretching training had definite efficacy in relieving the nociception, restoring lumbar spine function, and improving lumbar and abdominal muscle strength of chronic low back pain in sedentary occupational populations.