Purpose of study: To evaluate the effect of the two exercises, Specific Stabilization exercise and Conventional Back Extension exercise on relieving chronic disc prolapse pain. In addition, this study attempts to draw a conclusion as to which exercise is more effective for chronic low back pain. Materials and Methods: 20 patients with chronic disc prolapsed were divided into two groups. 10 patients in Group A received Specific stabilization exercise and 10 patients in Group B received conventional back extension exercise. Pain perception was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), a responsive pain scale that yields reliable and valid data. Disability was measured using the Ronald – Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ). Both the intervention periods were for 4 weeks at a frequency of 5 times /week for 30-45 min. Each exercise consists of 3 sets and 10 repetitions (10 sec hold) in each set. Progression was made when a patient was able to perform three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions of an exercise with ease. Results: In the study there was a decrease in the pain status in patients who were given conventional back extension exercise but there was a more marked relief in patients who were given Specific stabilization exercises according to paired sampling. Conclusion: Training of the specific stabilization exercise in study group A showed a significant improvement in decreasing pain and in improving functional ability when compared to strengthening exercise in group B after a treatment protocol of four weeks.

Key Words: Chronic disc prolapse; Conventional back extension exercise; Specific stabilization exercises.