Chronic Mechanical Low Back PainNCT07403292
Comparative Effects of McGill and McKenzie Exercises in Low Back Pain
A study testing McGill Exercises, McKenzie Exercises and Standardized Physiotherapy Treatment in people with Chronic Mechanical Low Back Pain, run by Riphah International University at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
The study was conducted to determine the comparative effects of McGill and McKenzie exercises on pain, range of motion and disability in patients with chronic mechanical low back pain. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 20 to 40 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Chronic Mechanical Low Back Pain
- What is being tested?
- McGill Exercises, McKenzie Exercises and Standardized Physiotherapy Treatment
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 57 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 13 Jan 2025to 30 Nov 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 20 to 40 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Both genders.
- Patients between 20-40 years.
- At least 6 months of history of chronic mechanical low back pain.
- Negative Lasegue's Test.
- Negative Slump Test.
- Patient presenting with NPRS values of above 1 and equal to or less than 6.
Show all 9Show fewer
- ODI score from 5-24, with the patient showing minimal to moderate disability.
- Patient showing restricted lumbar range of motion in any direction of flexion, extension, and lateral flexion.
- Participants must demonstrate an extension directional preference during clinical examination (For the safety purpose of the patients)
Who cannot join
- Lumbar radiculopathy.
- Previous record showing Trauma or accident.
- Any previous surgical record of Lumbar Spine Surgery.
- Acute or Subacute low back pain.
- History of spinal osteoporosis.
- Vertebral Fractures.
Show all 10Show fewer
- Tumors and active infections.
- Diagnosed psychological disorders.
- Any spinal deformity
- Participants who do not show directional preference towards extension
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Comparative Effects of McGill and McKenzie Exercises on Pain, Range of Motion and Disability in Patients With Chronic Mechanical Low Back Pain
The study was conducted to determine the comparative effects of McGill and McKenzie exercises on pain, range of motion and disability in patients with chronic mechanical low back pain.
- Conditions
- Chronic Mechanical Low Back Pain
- Being tested
- McGill Exercises, McKenzie Exercises, Standardized Physiotherapy Treatment
- Keywords
- McGill exercises, McKenzie Exercises, pain, range of motion, disability, chronic mechanical low back pain
- Medical subject headings
- Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
McGill ExercisesOther
McGill Big three exercises for 10 repetitions and 5-10 seconds of hold initially. Progression was tailored as per the patient's requirements and stamina.
- Standardized physiotherapy treatment at the first session.
- McGill curl-up
- Isometric horizontal side support, either with support on knees or on foot, according to patient stamina.
- Single leg extension holds on hands and knees, also known as McGill Birddog, either with or without raising the contralateral arm as per patient stamina.
McKenzie ExercisesOther
McKenzie extension exercise plan (EEP) for 10 repetitions and 5-10 seconds of hold initially. Progression was tailored as per the patient's requirements and symptoms
- Standardized physiotherapy treatment at the first session.
- Lying face down in extension on elbows.
- Full press up.
- Extension in standing.
Standardized Physiotherapy TreatmentOther
- Electrical Heating Pad was applied for 10 minutes.
- TENS was applied (low frequency) for 10 minutes.
- Posterior to Anterior Glides of Lumbar Spine in Maitland Grade-III, with 4 sets and 4 repetitions each. The patient will be in a prone position.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| McGill Exercises | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: McGill Exercises; Other: Standardized Physiotherapy Treatment |
| McKenzie Exercises | Active comparator | Not described Receives: Other: McKenzie Exercises; Other: Standardized Physiotherapy Treatment |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Numeric Pain Rating Scale
Pain intensity was measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale which is abbreviated as NPRS. In this tool, individuals score their pain levels on a scale from 0 to 10. When a participant selects 0, it means they had no pain. On the other hand, if it is 10, the participant must be going through the worst pain imaginable.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of the treatment at 6 weeks
Oswestry Disability Index
The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is a questionnaire that participants fill themselves based on self-reporting. It is based on disability caused by low back pain. Pynsent in Oswestry, England, introduced it in 1980. It has become one of the most widely used and trusted tools for evaluating disability related to back pain.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of the treatment at 6 weeks.
Lumbar Range of Motion
Different instruments are used in physiotherapy to measure the range of motions, like a goniometer and an inclinometer. An inclinometer is used to measure spinal ROM.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of the 6 weeks
Secondary outcomes (4)
Lumbar Flexion
Measured by inclinometer.
Measured: From enrollment to end of the treatment at 6 weeks.
Lumbar Extension
Measured by Inclinometer
Measured: From enrollment to end of the treatment by 6 weeks.
Lumbar Right Lateral Flexion
Measured by Inclinometer
Measured: From enrollment to the end of 6 weeks
Lumbar Left Lateral Flexion
Measured by using Inclinometer
Measured: From enrollment to end of the treatment by 6 weeks.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Feb 2026
- Study start13 Jan 2025
- Primary completion31 May 2025
- Study completion30 Nov 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (34)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Chronic Mechanical Low Back PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Riphah International UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 57 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Riphah International University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Shakil ur Rehman, Ph.D, Principal investigator, Riphah International University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07403292
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- REC/RCR & AHS/24/0179
- Status last verified
- Feb 2026
- First submitted
- 4 Feb 2026
- Last updated
- 11 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Sabourin S, Tram J, Sheldon BL, Pilitsis JG. Defining minimal clinically important differences in pain and disability outcomes of patients with chronic pain treated with spinal cord stimulation. J Neurosurg Spine. 2021 Jun 4;35(2):243-250. doi: 10.3171/2020.11.SPINE201431. Print 2021 Aug 1.
PubMed 34087802Young I, Dunning J, Escaloni J, Maselli F, Prall J, Mourad F, Fernandez-de-Las-Penas C. Reliability, construct validity, responsiveness and minimum clinically important difference of the numeric pain rating scale and shoulder pain and disability index in patients with subacromial pain syndrome. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2025 Oct;79:103372. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2025.103372. Epub 2025 Jun 28.
PubMed 40614306na Fisioterapia MM. Methods & protocols.
McGill SM. Low back exercises: evidence for improving exercise regimens. Phys Ther. 1998 Jul;78(7):754-65. doi: 10.1093/ptj/78.7.754.
PubMed 9672547Saur PM, Ensink FB, Frese K, Seeger D, Hildebrandt J. Lumbar range of motion: reliability and validity of the inclinometer technique in the clinical measurement of trunk flexibility. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1996 Jun 1;21(11):1332-8. doi: 10.1097/00007632-199606010-00011.
PubMed 8725925Grotle M, Brox JI, Vollestad NK. Cross-cultural adaptation of the Norwegian versions of the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire and the Oswestry Disability Index. J Rehabil Med. 2003 Sep;35(5):241-7. doi: 10.1080/16501970306094.
PubMed 14582557Childs JD, Piva SR, Fritz JM. Responsiveness of the numeric pain rating scale in patients with low back pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005 Jun 1;30(11):1331-4. doi: 10.1097/01.brs.0000164099.92112.29.
PubMed 15928561Alhakami AM, Davis S, Qasheesh M, Shaphe A, Chahal A. Effects of McKenzie and stabilization exercises in reducing pain intensity and functional disability in individuals with nonspecific chronic low back pain: a systematic review. J Phys Ther Sci. 2019 Jul;31(7):590-597. doi: 10.1589/jpts.31.590. Epub 2019 Jul 9.
PubMed 31417227Nayyab I, Ghous M, Shakil Ur Rehman S, Yaqoob I. The effects of an exercise programme for core muscle strengthening in patients with low back pain after Caesarian-section: A single blind randomized controlled trial. J Pak Med Assoc. 2021 May;71(5):1319-1325. doi: 10.47391/JPMA.596.
PubMed 34091607Ahmed R, Shakil-Ur-Rehman S, Sibtain F. Comparison between Specific Lumber Mobilization and Core-Stability Exercises with Core-Stability Exercises Alone in Mechanical low back pain. Pak J Med Sci. 2014 Jan;30(1):157-60. doi: 10.12669/pjms.301.4424.
PubMed 24639852Golzar J, Noor S, Tajik O. Convenience sampling. International Journal of Education & Language Studies. 2022;1(2):72-7.
Javaherian M, Bashardoust TS, ATTARBASHI MB, KESHTKAR A, Azizi M. Immediate effects of Maitland mobilization and Mulligan techniques on flexion and extension range of motion in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain: a randomized pilot study. 2017.
Waqqar S, Shakil-Ur-Rehman S, Ahmad S. McKenzie treatment versus mulligan sustained natural apophyseal glides for chronic mechanical low back pain. Pak J Med Sci. 2016 Mar-Apr;32(2):476-9. doi: 10.12669/pjms.322.9127.
PubMed 27182265Kleine-Borgmann J, Schmidt K, Hellmann A, Bingel U. Effects of open-label placebo on pain, functional disability, and spine mobility in patients with chronic back pain: a randomized controlled trial. Pain. 2019 Dec;160(12):2891-2897. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001683.
PubMed 31479068Ghasemi G, Goharjoo M, Faizi M. Effects of conventional core stability and core stability suspension exercises on multifidus muscle endurance, pain and quality of life in people with nonspecific chronic low back pain. Jundishapur Scientific Medical Journal. 2020;18(6):571-84.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Comparative Effects of McGill and McKenzie Exercises on Pain, Range of Motion and Disability in Patients With Chronic Mechanical Low Back Pain
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07403292
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- REC/RCR & AHS/24/0179
- Conditions
- Chronic Mechanical Low Back Pain
- Keywords
- McGill exercises, McKenzie Exercises, pain, range of motion, disability, chronic mechanical low back pain
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 57 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Riphah International UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 13 Jan 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 May 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Nov 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 11 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The study was conducted to determine the comparative effects of McGill and McKenzie exercises on pain, range of motion and disability in patients with chronic mechanical low back pain.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| McGill Exercises | Experimental | Other: McGill Exercises, Other: Standardized Physiotherapy Treatment |
| McKenzie Exercises | Active comparator | Other: McKenzie Exercises, Other: Standardized Physiotherapy Treatment |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 20 to 40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Both genders.
- Patients between 20-40 years.
- At least 6 months of history of chronic mechanical low back pain.
- Negative Lasegue's Test.
- Negative Slump Test.
Key exclusion criteria (10 listed)
- Lumbar radiculopathy.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| McGill ExercisesMcGill Big three exercises for 10 repetitions and 5-10 seconds of hold initially. Progression was tailored as per the patient's requirements and stamina. * Standardized physiotherapy treatment at the first session. * McGill curl-up * Isometric horizontal side support, either with support on knees or on foot, according to patient stamina. * Single leg extension holds on hands and knees, also known as McGill Birddog, either with or without raising the contralateral arm as per patient stamina. | Other | McGill Exercises |
| McKenzie ExercisesMcKenzie extension exercise plan (EEP) for 10 repetitions and 5-10 seconds of hold initially. Progression was tailored as per the patient's requirements and symptoms * Standardized physiotherapy treatment at the first session. * Lying face down in extension on elbows. * Full press up. * Extension in standing. | Other | McKenzie Exercises |
| Standardized Physiotherapy Treatment* Electrical Heating Pad was applied for 10 minutes. * TENS was applied (low frequency) for 10 minutes. * Posterior to Anterior Glides of Lumbar Spine in Maitland Grade-III, with 4 sets and 4 repetitions each. The patient will be in a prone position. | Other | McGill Exercises, McKenzie Exercises |
Primary outcome
Numeric Pain Rating Scale
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the treatment at 6 weeks
Pain intensity was measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale which is abbreviated as NPRS. In this tool, individuals score their pain levels on a scale from 0 to 10. When a participant selects 0, it means they had no pain. On the other hand, if it is 10, the participant must be going through the worst pain imaginable.
Oswestry Disability Index
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the treatment at 6 weeks.
The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is a questionnaire that participants fill themselves based on self-reporting. It is based on disability caused by low back pain. Pynsent in Oswestry, England, introduced it in 1980. It has become one of the most widely used and trusted tools for evaluating disability related to back pain.
Lumbar Range of Motion
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the 6 weeks
Different instruments are used in physiotherapy to measure the range of motions, like a goniometer and an inclinometer. An inclinometer is used to measure spinal ROM.
4 secondary outcomes
Lumbar Flexion
Time frame: From enrollment to end of the treatment at 6 weeks.
Lumbar Extension
Time frame: From enrollment to end of the treatment by 6 weeks.
Lumbar Right Lateral Flexion
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of 6 weeks
Lumbar Left Lateral Flexion
Time frame: From enrollment to end of the treatment by 6 weeks.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 Feb 2026.
- Background: PubMed 34087802Sabourin S, Tram J, Sheldon BL, Pilitsis JG. Defining minimal clinically important differences in pain and disability outcomes of patients with chronic pain treated with spinal cord stimulation. J Neurosurg Spine. 2021 Jun 4;35(2):243-250. doi: 10.3171/2020.11.SPINE201431. Print 2021 Aug 1.
- Background: PubMed 40614306Young I, Dunning J, Escaloni J, Maselli F, Prall J, Mourad F, Fernandez-de-Las-Penas C. Reliability, construct validity, responsiveness and minimum clinically important difference of the numeric pain rating scale and shoulder pain and disability index in patients with subacromial pain syndrome. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2025 Oct;79:103372. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2025.103372. Epub 2025 Jun 28.
- Backgroundna Fisioterapia MM. Methods & protocols.
- Background: PubMed 9672547McGill SM. Low back exercises: evidence for improving exercise regimens. Phys Ther. 1998 Jul;78(7):754-65. doi: 10.1093/ptj/78.7.754.
- Background: PubMed 8725925Saur PM, Ensink FB, Frese K, Seeger D, Hildebrandt J. Lumbar range of motion: reliability and validity of the inclinometer technique in the clinical measurement of trunk flexibility. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1996 Jun 1;21(11):1332-8. doi: 10.1097/00007632-199606010-00011.
- Background: PubMed 14582557Grotle M, Brox JI, Vollestad NK. Cross-cultural adaptation of the Norwegian versions of the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire and the Oswestry Disability Index. J Rehabil Med. 2003 Sep;35(5):241-7. doi: 10.1080/16501970306094.
- Background: PubMed 15928561Childs JD, Piva SR, Fritz JM. Responsiveness of the numeric pain rating scale in patients with low back pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005 Jun 1;30(11):1331-4. doi: 10.1097/01.brs.0000164099.92112.29.
- Background: PubMed 31417227Alhakami AM, Davis S, Qasheesh M, Shaphe A, Chahal A. Effects of McKenzie and stabilization exercises in reducing pain intensity and functional disability in individuals with nonspecific chronic low back pain: a systematic review. J Phys Ther Sci. 2019 Jul;31(7):590-597. doi: 10.1589/jpts.31.590. Epub 2019 Jul 9.
- Background: PubMed 34091607Nayyab I, Ghous M, Shakil Ur Rehman S, Yaqoob I. The effects of an exercise programme for core muscle strengthening in patients with low back pain after Caesarian-section: A single blind randomized controlled trial. J Pak Med Assoc. 2021 May;71(5):1319-1325. doi: 10.47391/JPMA.596.
- Background: PubMed 24639852Ahmed R, Shakil-Ur-Rehman S, Sibtain F. Comparison between Specific Lumber Mobilization and Core-Stability Exercises with Core-Stability Exercises Alone in Mechanical low back pain. Pak J Med Sci. 2014 Jan;30(1):157-60. doi: 10.12669/pjms.301.4424.
- BackgroundGolzar J, Noor S, Tajik O. Convenience sampling. International Journal of Education & Language Studies. 2022;1(2):72-7.
- BackgroundJavaherian M, Bashardoust TS, ATTARBASHI MB, KESHTKAR A, Azizi M. Immediate effects of Maitland mobilization and Mulligan techniques on flexion and extension range of motion in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain: a randomized pilot study. 2017.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Shakil ur Rehman, Ph.D principal investigator
Riphah International University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing McGill Exercises, McKenzie Exercises and Standardized Physiotherapy Treatment in people with Chronic Mechanical Low Back Pain, run by Riphah International University at 1 site in Pakistan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 9 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Pakistan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Numeric Pain Rating Scale (time frame: From enrollment to the end of the treatment at 6 weeks). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07403292, which also lists 34 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 Feb 2026.