• Fundamental step in estimating who may benefit from lumbar exercise therapy
• Quantitative sensory testing to investigate analgesic effects
• Increased pressure pain thresholds in healthy individuals but not in patients with back pain

Exercise therapy focusing on the lower back results in reduced pain sensitivity in healthy individuals: after a seven-minute lifting task involving a box of 5 kg, they were able to tolerate more pressure on the lumbar spine, before they consider this it painful. This does not seem to be the case in people suffering from mild, chronic low back pain. After a seven-minute lifting task, they already seem to experience pain at a slightly lower pressure. This conclusion can be derived from an observational study conducted by a British research group, including 18 healthy individuals and 21 individuals with mild, chronic low back pain.