Synergistic Benefits of Motor Control Exercises and Balance Training in Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Raee Saeed Alqhtani; Hashim Ahmed; Adel Alshahrani; Abdullah Mohammed Alyami; Abdur Raheem Khan; Ashfaque Khan

doi:10.3390/life13122258

Synergistic Benefits of Motor Control Exercises and Balance Training in Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Life (Basel). 2023 Nov 27;13(12):2258. doi: 10.3390/life13122258.

Authors

Raee Saeed Alqhtani¹, Hashim Ahmed¹, Adel Alshahrani¹, Abdullah Mohammed Alyami¹, Abdur Raheem Khan², Ashfaque Khan²

Affiliations

¹ Physiotherapy Program, Department of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Physiotherapy, Integral University, Lucknow 226026, India.

Abstract

Background and objectives: Chronic low back pain, frequently attributed to Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction (SIJD), remains a prevalent concern in orthopedic and physiotherapy arenas. Despite the recognition of motor control exercises (MCEs) and balance training (BT) as potential rehabilitative measures, studies elucidating their combined efficiency for SIJD are scarce. This research study aimed to ascertain the combined and individual efficacies of MCE and BT in alleviating SIJD symptoms.

Methods: A double-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted, enrolling 120 SIJD-diagnosed patients aged 30-60 years. Participants were randomly allocated into four groups: MCEs alone, BT alone, combined MCEs and BT, and a control group receiving usual care. Interventions spanned 12 weeks, with evaluations at the start and end and a 24-week follow-up. Primary outcomes encompass pain intensity (assessed via Visual Analog Scale), functional disability (utilizing the Oswestry Disability Index), and life quality (using the Short Form-36).

Results: Post a 12-week intervention, participants receiving combined MCE and BT demonstrated substantial improvements in VAS (Median: 3.5, IQR: 2-5; p = 0.0035), ODI (Median: 15%, IQR: 10-20%; p = 0.0035), and SF-36 scores (Median: 70, IQR: 65-75; p = 0.0035) compared to baseline. In contrast, standalone MCE or BT and control groups exhibited lesser efficacy. By the 24-week follow-up, the combined group maintained their gains, outperforming the other groups. The research tools employed showed high reliability with Cronbach's alpha >0.85.

Conclusions: Our findings underscore the superior efficacy of integrating motor control exercises (MCEs) and balance training (BT) for Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction (SIJD)-related chronic low back pain. This combined approach promises enhanced patient outcomes, highlighting its potential as a primary strategy in SIJD management. Future studies should further explore its long-term benefits and integration with other therapeutic modalities.

Keywords: balance training; chronic low back pain; motor control exercises; sacroiliac joint dysfunction.

Grants and funding

The Deanship of Scientific Research at Najran University funded this study under the Distinguished Research Funding program grant code (NU/DRP/MRC/12/12).