Patients
presenting with any of the following were excluded from participation;
any condition where either the intervention or the
rehabilitation may have an adverse effect on the individual; previous
spinal surgery; spinal surgery where a fusion procedure
was planned because of the unknown hazards of the activity
program for this type of surgery; pregnant women; inadequate
ability to complete the trial assessment forms; unable to attend
or unsuitable for rehabilitation classes. After poor compliance
with return of baseline forms at the start of the trial, patients
were only allocated a trial number and treatment group after
successful completion of these forms; those not complying were
removed from the trial.