Biopsychosocial Factors and Muscle Morphology After a Resistance Exercise

University of Central Florida

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Low Back Pain, Chronic

Treatments: Other: 45-Degree Roman Chair Exercise

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07203430

12

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the longitudinal effects of a four-week dynamic resistance training program using the 45-degree Roman chair on pain sensitivity changes after exercise and lumbar muscle performance in individuals with chronic low back pain (LBP). This study will consist of three specific aims. Aim 1 examines changes in local exercise-induced hypoalgesia. Aim 2 will assess changes in lumbar multifidus and erector spinae thickness using ultrasound imaging before and after the intervention. Aim 3 will evaluate changes in lumbar extensor strength (handheld dynamometry (HHD)) and endurance (Biering-Sørensen test).

Enrollment: 22 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• chronic low back pain lasting ≥ 12 weeks
• current pain intensity ≥ 3/10 but no higher than an 8/10 on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) within the past 48 hours
• resistance trained (defined as 2x/week for the past 8-12 weeks)
• able to read and speak English for informed consent and completion of questionnaires
• willing and physically able to complete all testing and intervention sessions.

Exclusion criteria

• History of spinal surgery, fusion, or fracture within the past 6 months
• diagnosed degenerative disc disease, scoliosis, or spinal pathology that precludes safe exercise participation
• use of an assistive device for walking (cane, walker) within the past year
• pregnancy, due to contraindications for exercise testing and ultrasound -body weight ≥ 300 lbs., which exceeds the safe capacity of the Roman chair --
• current tobacco/nicotine use
• current enrollment in physical therapy or structured rehabilitation for LBP,
• cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, or systemic disease that increases risk during exercise
• nociplastic pain conditions (e.g., fibromyalgia) or neurological conditions that confound EIH responses
• inability to complete ≥ 8 Roman chair repetitions with proper form during screening
• non-English speaking

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

22 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention Group

Experimental group

Description:

During visits 2-13, participants will attend 2-3 sessions per week, with a minimum of 48 hours between visits, and must complete all study visits 6 weeks after enrollment. Participants in the intervention group will perform 3 sets of low back extension exercise on the Roman chair until volitional exhaustion. The three sets will be performed to volitional exhaustion or 20 repetitions, whichever comes first. If more than 20 repetitions can be completed after a set the investigator will add resistance according to the NSCA's guidelines (2.5-10% increase).

Treatment:

Other: 45-Degree Roman Chair Exercise

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants in the control group will not complete the low back extension exercise and will be told to continue activity as usual. All participants will complete a training log and detail the type of resistance exercise performed, the number of sets and repetitions completed, and the weight used.