Exercise-based Telerehabilitation Program for Police Officers and Firefighters With Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain (SAFEBACK)

Federal University of Pelotas

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Low-back Pain; Telerehabilitation

Treatments: Other: Online booklet; Other: App-Based Pain Education and Exercise

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05481996

58715422.3.0000.5313

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this clinical trial is to develop and test the effectiveness of a smartphone app-based self-management program based on exercise and pain education for police officers and firefighters with chronic low back pain.

Full description

Low back pain is the leading cause of year lived with disability worldwide. Workers exposed to physically demanding activities and inappropriate postures, such as those performed by police officers and firefighters, are highly affected by chronic low back pain. Smartphone app-based self-managed interventions have been shown to be an alternative for chronic non-specific low back pain treatment. However, there is still little research on the development and testing of remotely-delivered programs for the management of chronic low back pain, especially in police and fire professionals. The aim of this clinical trial is to develop and test the effectiveness of a smartphone app-based self-management program based on exercise and pain education for police officers and firefighters with chronic low back pain.

Enrollment: 66 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 60 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Aged between 18 and 60 years
• Chronic low back pain (defined as pain lasting more than 12 weeks)
• Chronic low back pain of at least 3 points in a 0 to 10 Pain Numerical Rating Scale
• Own a smartphone with internet access and email account
• Police officer (federal, federal highway, civil or military) or military firefighter working in the State of Rio Grande do Sul

Exclusion criteria

• Present neurological symptoms (nerve root compromise, or sensation deficits)
• Present serious spinal diseases (e.g., fracture, tumor, inflammatory, autoimmune, and infectious diseases)
• Present serious cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (e.g., coronary heart disease, cardiac insufficiency, decompensated diabetes)
• Recent spine surgery (over the last 12 months) or scheduled to undergo surgery in the next six months, or pregnancy
• History of physical therapy treatment for low back pain or physical exercise (strength training for core muscles, Pilates, yoga) current or within the last 3 months
• Retired
• If have any contraindication to exercise:

We will perform a pre-screening for physical activity participation at baseline using the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) Portuguese version to rule out any contraindication to participate in physical activity

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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66 participants in 2 patient groups

App-Based Pain Education and Exercise

Experimental group

Description:

Patients allocated to the experimental group will receive a login and password for individual access to the smartphone app designed for the study. The app's content for this group will include three components: 1) a physical exercise program of 8 weeks; 2) weekly messages; and 3) an online booklet. The exercise component will include 8 weeks of training, with two sessions per week of core strengthening exercises. The app will provide illustrations, with animated images (GIFs), descriptions and audios of how to perform each exercise. The message component will provide eight messages (one per week), which will have their contents taken from the online booklet. Messages will include information about the benefits of exercise, motivation, and positive messages about coping with pain. The online booklet will contain general information about self-management of chronic pain, including pain education, advice on healthy lifestyle and sleeping habits and promotion of exercises.

Treatment:

Other: App-Based Pain Education and Exercise

Online Booklet

Active Comparator group

Description:

Patients allocated to the control group will receive a login and password for individual access to the smartphone app designed for the study. The app's content for this group will include two components: 1) an online booklet; and 2) weekly messages. The online booklet will contain general information about self-management of chronic pain, including pain education, advice on healthy lifestyle and sleeping habits and promotion of exercises. The message component will provide eight messages (one per week), which will have their contents taken from the online booklet. Messages will include information about the benefits of exercise, motivation, and positive messages about coping with pain.

Treatment:

Other: Online booklet