Pain Education vs. Self-management Associated With Movement Control Exercises for Chronic Low Back Pain

University of Sao Paulo

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Chronic Low Back Pain

Treatments: Other: Movement Control Exercises; Other: Self-Management Education; Other: Pain Neuroscience Education

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03778970

69172017.1.0000.5440

Details and patient eligibility

About

The primary aim of this study is to compare the effects of an exercise program based on movement control exercises associated with self-management advice (SME) or pain neuroscience education (PNE) on the outcomes of pain intensity and pain disability in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (CLBP).

Full description

Participants: One hundred and four volunteers (104) aged 18-50 years with chronic non-specific low back pain.

Interventions: The volunteers will be randomized into two treatment groups: self-management education and movement control exercises or pain neuroscience education and exercises based on movement control exercises. Two workshops of 40 minutes each will be administered as education approach and the exercise program along 2 months ( and 12 sessions distributed over 2 months.

Main outcome measures: Primary outcomes will include pain intensity and low back disability, and secondary outcomes will be pain catastrophizing, pain self-efficacy, kinesiophobia, exercise adherence and global perceived effect. These will be measured pre- and post-intervention and at the 1-month follow-up. Statistical analysis will be conducted following treatment intent principles, and treatment effects will be calculated using a mixed linear model, considering intervention groups as a factor and assessments over time as repeated measures.

Enrollment: 104 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

(1) non-specific chronic low back pain with a mechanical constituent caused by certain postures, activities, and movements, in addition to having at least 3 months of pain and/or episodes for at least half the previous 6 days, located between T12 and the gluteal folds; (2) pain intensity scores greater than 2 and greater than 14% on the Oswestry Low Back Disability Index and (3) positive results in 2 or more of the 6 tests to determine movement control impairment.

Exclusion criteria

(1) red flags such as tumors or neoplastic diseases in the spine, inflammatory diseases, infections, and fractures; (2) central and peripheral, psychiatric, rheumatologic, and cardiac neurological diseases; (3) acute and symptomatic radiculopathy, lumbar stenosis, and spondylolisthesis; (4) pregnant women; and (5) individuals submitted to physiotherapeutic treatment during the last 6 months. Finally, volunteers will be advised about the non-use of pain medications 24 hours before the evaluations.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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104 participants in 2 patient groups

Pain Neuroscience Education + Exercises

Experimental group

Description:

The PNE will follow the principles established by Explain Pain, addressing reconceptualization of pain, emphasizing modern neuroscience concepts. The PNE workshop will last 40 minutes (2 sessions). The movement control exercises will consist of active exercises that address posture and control of movements which are impaired and trigger pain. The session will last approximately 30 minutes, starting with the execution of the coordination exercises in the control of movement with an intensity of 10 to 30 repetitions and then performing exercises for stretching in 3 series of 30 seconds. Finally, strengthening exercises in 3 sets of 15 repetitions will be implemented. The exercises will be administered 1 session/week (volunteers will be oriented to execute the same exercises at home twice a week). The volunteers will receive 8 sessions at the clinic.

Treatment:

Other: Movement Control Exercises

Other: Pain Neuroscience Education

Self-Management Education + Exercises

Active Comparator group

Description:

The Self-Management Education (SME) strategy will be aligned with the "Back Book" concepts, focused on behavior change and encouraging participants to be active despite of the pain. The SME workshop will last 40 minutes (2 sessions). The movement control exercises will consist of active exercises that address posture and control of movements which are impaired and trigger pain. The session will last approximately 30 minutes, starting with the execution of the coordination exercises in the control of movement with an intensity of 10 to 30 repetitions and then performing exercises for stretching in 3 series of 30 seconds. Finally, strengthening exercises in 3 sets of 15 repetitions will be implemented. The exercises will be administered 1 session/week (volunteers will be oriented to execute the same exercises at home twice a week). The volunteers will receive 8 sessions at the clinic.

Treatment:

Other: Movement Control Exercises

Other: Self-Management Education