Group hydrotherapy versus group land-based treatment for chronic low back pain.

Sixty subjects with chronic low back pain (LBP) were sequentially allocated to either hydrotherapy treatment or land treatment groups in order of presentation. Subjects acted as their own controls for a period of three weeks, after which they attended their respective group sessions twice weekly for six weeks. Twenty-eight subjects from each group attended all treatment and assessment sessions. Results indicated that both groups improved significantly in functional ability and in decreasing pain levels. Thoracolumbar mobility did not improve significantly in either group. Overall there was no significant difference found between the two types of treatment, although results should be viewed as encouraging for the advocates of both hydrotherapy and land-based exercise as a treatment for chronic LBP.