D.Phil. / Chronic pain is a devastating problem and one of the leading causes of disability internationally with an estimated 25-30% of people in industrialised nations suffering from it. Various approaches are available for the treatment of chronic pain with exercise therapy is often the last resort, after all else has failed. The present study was motivated by the growing prevalence of chronic pain patients and the recent progress in pain science. This study made use of a quasi-experimental design where randomization was a function of participant convenience. It made use of a Pre-Test Post-Test battery consisting both of self-report questionnaires and of a physical assessment evaluating components of chronic pain patients’ experience prior to and following a combined therapeutic intervention programme of 12 sessions. Follow- up was at 12 months. The objectives were to integrate patient reconceptualization of pain by means of an active approach combining pain education and exercise therapy, and to determine the effect of a change in pain cognition on the outcome compared to a control group receiving exercise therapy only. A heterogeneous group of chronic pain patients were randomized into 2 groups who both received exercise therapy twice per week: the experimental group (80) received exercise therapy and a specific 3 hour pain education session with the active control group (74) only receiving exercise therapy. There were no differences in pain related or demographic characteristics between groups at baseline. Both groups had a significant reduction in pain perception after 12 exercise therapy sessions (P<0.05). After a follow up period of 12 months the experimental group sustained the same level of pain reduction (P<0.05). The control group maintained only some the acquired reduction in pain perception. In the experimental group an increased participation in physical activity was also found 12 months after the intervention. Exercise therapy significantly reduces the perception of pain in chronic pain patients after 12 therapy sessions, but the combination of pain education and exercise therapy better maintain these effects after a year. Key Words: chronic pain, exercise, pain education.

<p>Uvod: Individualno kreiran program vežbi lumbalne stabilizacije, mogao bi da doprinese boljem oporavku pacijenata sa hroničnim bolom u donjem delu leđa. Program vežbi u lečenju hroničnog lumbalnog bola je prilično raznolik, ali je dokazano da su vežbe stabilizacije najefikasnije, posebno vežbe u zatvorenom kinetičkom lancu. Cilj: je bio da se uporedi program vežbi lumbalne stabilizacije u otvorenom i zatvorenom kinetičkom lancu, u odnosu na program vežbi lumbalne stabilizacije i torakalne mobilizacije u zatvorenom kinetičkom lancu kao i da se proceni klinička efikasnost oba programa vežbi. Metode: Istraživanje je sprovedeno kao prospektivna, eksperimentalna studija na 80 ispitanika oba pola (35 mu&scaron;karaca, 45 žena), prosečne životne dobi (48.45+/- 10.22 godina) sa hroničnim lumbalnim bolom. Istraživanje je sprovedeno na Klinici za rehabilitaciju &bdquo;dr Miroslav Zotović&ldquo; u Beogradu u periodu od juna 2017. do marta 2018. godine. Ispitanici su podeljeni u dve grupe od 40 pacijenata. Prva grupa ispitanika je sprovodila program vežbi lumbalne stabilizacije i torakalne mobilizacije u zatvorenom kinetičkom lancu (LSTMZ), a druga program vežbi lumbalne stabilizacije u zatvorenom i otvorenom kinetičkom lancu (LSZO). Pored op&scaron;tih demografskih, antropometrijskih podataka o ispitanicima, kori&scaron;ćeni su sledeći upitnici i testovi: za procenu intenziteta bola u leđima i donjim ekstremitetima- vizuelna analogna skala (VAS), za procenu neuropatske komponente bola- DN4 (Douleur Neuropathique en 4 Questions), za procenu funkcionalnog statusa kori&scaron;ćen je Osvestrijev upitnik o onesposobljenosti (ODI), procena sagitalne pokretljivosti lumbosakralne kičme Schober testom, procena mi&scaron;ićne snage - manuelnim mi&scaron;ićnom testom; Ispitivanje senzitivnosti na ključnim senzornim tačkama za dermatome je vr&scaron;eno prema ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) skali, testom istezanja ishiadičnog (Lazarevićev) i femoralnog nerva ispitivano je prisustvo kompresije nervnih korenova, za procenu stabilnosti lumbosakralne kičme- je kori&scaron;ćen test nestabilnosti u proniranom položaju (Prone Instability test). Ispitanici su ergonomski edukovani, sprovedena je transkutana elektro-nervna stimulacija (TENS) i primenjivana je laseroterapija male snage. Pacijentima je određena osmonedeljna kineziterapija koja je obuhvatala vežbe za jačanje dubokih stabilizatora lumbalne kičme. Retestiranje je rađeno nakon 4 i 8 nedelja. Rezultati: Kod obe grupe ispitanika u svim intervalima merenja je nađena visoka statistički značajna (p&lt; 0,001) redukcija intenziteta bola prema VAS skali za lumbalnu kičmu i donje ekstremitete,&nbsp;&nbsp; pobolj&scaron;anje funkcionalnog statusa (Oswestry) i sagitalne pokretljivosti (Schober). Statistički značajan (p&lt;0,05) oporavak ispitanika grupe 1 u odnosu na grupu 2, ostvaren je u svim intervalima merenja kod parametara: Intenzitet bola (VAS LS i VAS za nogu), stepen onesposobljenosti (ODI),vrednost motornog skora za trup merenog ASIA skalom i vrednost neuropatske komponente bola (DN4). Statistički značajan (p&lt; 0,05) oporavak ispitanika u grupi 2 u odnosu na grupu 1, ostvaren je posle 8 nedelja kod parametra za procenu vrednosti&nbsp; senzornog skora dodir prema ASIA skali. Utvrđeno je da veće početne vrednosti intenziteta bola prema skalama Vas ls i Vas za nogu i stepena onesposobljenosti prema ODI, negativno utiču na krajnji ishod ovih parametara kod pacijenata sa HLB-om u obe grupe (p&lt;0,05). Pacijenti sa pozitivnom neuropatskom komponentom bola imaju lo&scaron;iji ishod lečenja HLB-a vežbama stabilizacije i torakalne mobilizacije (p&lt;0,05). Zaključci: Pacijenti koji su radili program vežbi lumbalne stabilizacije i torakalne mobilizacije u zatvorenom kinetičkom lancu su imali bolji funkcionalni oporavak i značajniju redukciju intenziteta bola u odnosu na ispitanike koji su radili program vežbi lumbalne stabilizacije u zatvorenom i otvorenom kinetičkom lancu.</p> / <p>Introduction: An individual program of lumbar stabilization exercises could contribute to a better recovery of patients with chronic lower back pain. The exercise program in the treatment of chronic lumbar pain is quite diverse, but it has been proven that stabilization exercises are most effective, especially in a closed kinetic chain. Objective: was to compare the program of lumbar stabilization exercises in the open and closed kinetic chain, in relation to the program of lumbar stabilization exercises and thoracic mobilization in a closed kinetic chain, and to evaluate the clinical efficacy of both exercise programs. Methods: The study was conducted as a prospective, experimental study of 80 subjects of both sexes (35 men, 45 women), average life expectancy (48.45 +/- 10.22 years) with chronic lumbar pain. The research was conducted at the Rehabilitation Clinic &quot;Dr. Miroslav Zotović&quot; in Belgrade in the period from June 2017 to March 2018. Respondents were divided into two groups of 40 patients. The first group of respondents carried out a lumbar stabilization and thoracic mobilization program in a closed kinetic chain (LSTMZ) and the second, program of lumbar stabilization exercises in closed and open kinetic chain (LSZO). In addition to general demographic, anthropometric data on respondents, the following questionnaires and tests were used: for assessing the intensity of back pain and lower extremities - visual analogue scale (VAS), for assessing the neuropathic pain component DN4 (Douleur Neuropathique en 4 Questions),&nbsp; for functional status assessment was used Oswestry disability index (ODI), for assessment of sagittal mobility of the lumbosacral spine- Schober test, muscular strength assessment - manual muscle test; Sensitivity testing at key sensory points for dermatomas was performed according to the ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) scale, stretching test of the ishiadic (Lazarević) and femoral nerves was udes for detection of nerve root irritation, and the Prone Instability test was used to assess the stability of the lumbosacral spine. Respondents were ergonomically educated, transcutaneous electrical-nerve stimulation (TENS) and low-power laser therapy were performed. Patients were given an eight-week kinesiotherapy that included exercises to strengthen the deep lumbar spine stabilizers. Retesting was done after 4 and 8 weeks. Results: In both groups of subjects, high statistically significant (p &lt;0.001) reduction of pain intensity to VAS scale for lumbar spine and for the leg, functional disability (Oswestry) sagital mobility of lumbar spine (Schober) improvement were found at all measurement intervals. The statistically significant (p &lt;0.05) recovery of group 1 subjects compared to group 2 was achieved at all measurement intervals in the parameters: Pain intensity (VAS LS and VAS for the leg), degree of disability (ODI), motor score value for the trunk measured by the ASIA scale and the value of the neuropathic pain component (DN4). Statistically significant (p &lt;0.05) recovery of group 2 subjects compared to group 2 was achieved after 8 weeks with the parameter for assessing the sensory touch score value to the ASIA scale. It has been found that higher initial pain intensity values to VAS ls and VAS for leg and degree of disability to ODI, negatively affect the final outcome of these parameters in patients with chronic low back pain in both groups of subject (p&lt;0,05). Patients with a positive neuropathic pain component have a lower outcome of chronic low back pain treatment with lumbar stabilization and thoracic mobilization exercises (p&lt;0,05). Conclusions: Patients who performed lumbar stabilization and thoracic mobilization exercises program in a closed kinetic chain had better functional recovery and a significant reduction in pain intensity compared to respondents who performed a lumbar stabilization program in a closed and open kinetic chain.</p>