Simple relaxation exercises ease back pain and fear of movement, study finds

This study looked at whether doing progressive relaxation exercises—like tensing and relaxing muscles—can help people with a slipped disc in their lower back. 96 adults were split into two groups: one got standard care, the other added supervised relaxation sessions three times a week. Researchers measured fear of movement, pain, disability, and quality of life before and after the program. The goal was to see if adding relaxation exercises offers extra benefits beyond usual treatment.