Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2025, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (11): 2377-2384.doi: 10.12307/2025.373

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Exercise therapy for the treatment of chronic nonspecific lower back pain through mechanical-chemical coupling

Zhang Jiale, Wang Fusen, Qiu Zhenrui, Fan Xinming, Zou Jilong, Bi Zhenggang, Sun Jiabing   

  1. Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China
  • Received:2024-04-10 Accepted:2024-06-01 Online:2025-04-18 Published:2024-08-12
  • Contact: Sun Jiabing, Chief physician, Professor, Doctoral supervisor, Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China
  • About author:Zhang Jiale, Master, Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang Province, China
  • Supported by:
    2023 Harbin Medical University Postgraduate Research and Practice Innovation Program, No. YJSCX2023-209HYD (to ZJL)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Currently, exercise therapy is an effective non-pharmacological treatment for low back pain, and exercise therapy can maintain lumbar spine stabilization through mechanical-chemical coupling between bones and muscles, but there is no clear description of the research progress and optimal treatment protocols for exercise therapy to relieve chronic non-specific lower back pain through mechanical-chemical coupling.
OBJECTIVE: To review the research progress related to the influence of paravertebral muscles on lumbar spine stabilization during exercise therapy through mechanical-chemical coupling, which in turn relieves chronic non-specific lower back pain, as well as the current optimal treatment protocols of exercise therapy for chronic non-specific lower back pain.
METHODS: Literature searches were performed in WanFang database, CNKI, VIP, Web of Science, and PubMed database, with search terms of “chronic non-specific low back pain, lumbar spine stabilization, paravertebral muscles, exercise therapy” in Chinese and English. Relevant literature published from database inception to January 2024 was searched and 93 articles were included for final summarization.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Exercise therapy can act on the paravertebral muscles and bones through appropriate mechanical stimulation and produce corresponding changes. Exercise therapy is an important intervention for chronic non-specific lower back pain as it improves the quality of the paravertebral muscles, primarily through mechanical-chemical coupling, and thus maintains lumbar spine stabilization for better relief of chronic non-specific lower back pain. However, there are no clear reports on the exact effective protocols for exercise therapy to treat chronic non-specific lower back pain through lumbar spine stabilization. The development of an individualized exercise program is particularly important for the treatment and prognosis of chronic non-specific low back pain. Muscle mass and bone mass of the same individual are closely related, and imaging assessment of paravertebral muscle mass and quantity is important for disease detection and intervention. 

中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点:组织构建;骨细胞;软骨细胞;细胞培养;成纤维细胞;血管内皮细胞;骨质疏松;组织工程

Key words: mechanical-chemical coupling, exercise therapy, chronic non-specific lower back pain, lumbar spine stabilization, paravertebral muscle

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