Effects of Self-Stretching vs. Gym Ball Exercises for Managing Lower Back Pain Among Young Adult Male Gym Goers: A Randomized control trial

Introduction: Low back pain was common among beginner gym-goers due to unfamiliar movement patterns, poor technique, and adaptation to equipment. Although self-stretching was a simple, self-directed intervention, its effectiveness compared with guided methods such as Swiss ball-assisted stretching remained unclear. Methods: Sixty young adult males (18–30 years) with less than six months of gym experience and mild to moderate low back pain were randomly allocated to either a self-stretching group (Cat-Cow, Seated Forward Bend, Child’s Pose, Standing Hamstring, and Lower Back Rotational Stretch) or a Swiss ball-assisted stretching group. Both groups underwent a six-week program. Pain intensity, flexibility, and functional mobility were assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Sit-and-Reach test, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Results: The self-stretching group demonstrated significantly greater improvements compared with the Swiss ball-assisted stretching group in VAS (p = 0.014), ODI (p = 0.007), and Sit-and-Reach scores (p = 0.008). Conclusions: Self-stretching proved to be more effective than Swiss ball-assisted stretching in reducing pain, improving flexibility, and enhancing functional mobility among beginner gym-goers.