김상국,이상욱, 김재희*

세종대학교 체육학과

Background: Inflammation may be one mechanism that causes low back pain (LBP). Although regular exercise has an anti-inflammatory effect, little is known about the effects of exercise on serum inflammatory markers and back pain in patients with LBP. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an 8-week exercise intervention on back pain and serum C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in automotive workers with LBP.
Methods: Male workers (n=15) with LBP completed an 8-week multi-component exercise program. Age-matched healthy men (n=11) without back pain served as the control group (CG). Levels of serum inflammatory markers, back flexibility, and back pain using a visual analogue scale were measured at baseline and after the 8-week intervention.
Results: After 8 weeks, serum CRP levels were lower compared with baseline (P<0.05) in the exercise group (EG), whereas IL-1β and IL-6 levels were not significantly changed. Back flexibility improved (P<0.001) and back pain decreased (P<0.05) in the EG. No significant changes occurred in back pain, back flexibility, and serum inflammatory marker levels in the CG over the same period.
Conclusions: CRP and back pain were both reduced and back flexibility improved with exercise in subjects with LBP suggesting that exercise may play a role in reducing inflammation in subjects with LBP. This would lead to improvement in pain and physical function.
Korean J Health Promot 2010;10(3):131-138

Key Words: Exercise, Low back pain, Visual analogue scale, Inflammatory markers