ObjectiveTo systematically review the efficacy of exercise therapy for patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) by network meta-analysis (NMA).MethodsThe PubMed, EBSCO, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang Data, VIP and CBM databases were electronically searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCT) on exercise for patients with CLBP from inception to May, 2020. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed risk of bias of included studies. Then, NMA was performed by Stata 15.1 software.ResultsA total of 79 RCTs involving 5 782 CLBP patients were included. The effect of exercise therapy on pain in patients with CLBP were in the following rankings: yoga (SMD=−1.25, 95%CI −1.87 to −0.64, P<0.000 1), health Qigong/Taichi (SMD=−1.12, 95%CI −1.87 to −0.64, P=0.002), sling exercise (SMD=−1.07, 95%CI −1.64 to −0.50, P<0.000 1), Mackenzie therapy (SMD=−1.05, 95%CI −1.68 to −0.42, P=0.001), pilates (SMD=−0.96, 95%CI −1.74 to −1.78, P=0.016), multimodal training (SMD=−0.80, 95%CI −1.33 to −0.27, P=0.003) and stabilisation/motor control (SMD=−0.62, 95%CI −1.03 to −0.21, P=0.003). The effect of exercise therapy on function in patients with CLBP were in the following rankings: Mackenzie therapy (SMD=−0.62, 95%CI −1.03 to −0.21, P=0.003), and yoga (SMD=−0.88, 95%CI −1.51 to −0.25, P=0.007). Clusterank results showed that Mackenzie therapy, yoga, pilates, sling exercise and multimodal training were similar in improving pain and physical function in patients with CLBP.ConclusionsThe current study shows that yoga, Mackenzie therapy, pilates, sling exercise and multimodal training constitute the optimal group for improving CLBP symptoms. Health Qigong/Taichi is second only to yoga in improving pain in patients with CLBP, which has great promotional value.