The influence of a therapeutic aquatic exercise program on individuals with chronic low back pain and sleep quality disturbances

Abstract

Introduction: Sleep disturbance is a common complaint in people with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Objective: To investigate the influence of therapeutic aquatic exercises (TAE), associated with home-based guidance (HB), on sleep quality (SQ) in individuals with CLBP. Methods: Experimental study with participants aged 18 to 65 years, of both genders, randomized into an experimental group (EG), which performed TEE, and a control group (CG), without intervention. Both groups received the same HB and were followed for 6 weeks. The primary outcomes were CLBP and SQ; the secondary outcomes were kinesiophobia, using the Tampa Scale (TSK), pressure pain threshold (PPT), and functional disability, using the Roland-Morris Questionnaire (RMQ). Mixed analysis of variance (mixed ANOVA) was used. Results: The sample consisted of 26 participants, with a mean age of 43.79 years. In the Visual Analogue Scale for Pain (VAS), the mean decreased from 5.23 ± 1.74 to 1.61 ± 1.76 in the experimental group (EG), and from 5.77 ± 1.01 to 2.77 ± 2.35 in the control group (CG). There was a significant reduction in pain over time in both groups, with a mean decrease of 3.0 points (p < 0.001). The QdS showed a variation of -0.69, without statistical significance (p = 0.6). In the TSK, there was a reduction in both groups (CG = -7.85; EG = -7.15). In the LDP, a significant effect was identified at L4-L5 (p = 0.020), and the QRM indicated a mean reduction of 4.2 points (p < 0.001). Conclusion: both methods reduced pain sensitivity and promoted nociceptive adaptation, without significant changes in QdS, throughout the study.