NCT06938568

Personalized Physical Back Training Program to Improve Physical Functioning in People With Non-specific Low Back Pain

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 180 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Claudio Perret · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Personalized medicine and individualized therapeutic approaches are prominent in current research. But are these approaches also effective for treating non-specific low back pain (NSLBP)? NSLBP is one of the most common musculoskeletal issues, which can impair physical well-being, reduce the quality of life, and limit physical functioning. Additionally, it contributes to substantial direct and indirect healthcare costs, such as frequent doctor visits and work absences. Despite NSLBP being a significant burden for both individuals and society, effective alleviation methods remain unclear. The investigators' research project therefore aims to investigate whether personalized therapy, specifically a personalized physical back training program, can effectively address NSLBP. Within the context of NSLBP, the investigators' specific aim is to improve physical functioning as this outcome is considered relevant from all perspectives, including those of patients, clinical professionals, researchers, and guidelines.

Conditions

• Exercise Therapy
• Low Back Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Personalized back exercises	The study intervention is a 12-week personalized physical back training program. It consists of six to eight exercises selected from a predefined set by a physical therapist or medical doctor. These exercises are selected through a clinical reasoning process, i.e., they are tailored and problem-oriented, based on the results of a clinical assessment. An initial one-on-one training session will take place to familiarize participants with the back training program, corresponding to the first week's session of the 12-week intervention period. During the 12-week intervention period, the training comprises one supervised group session per week, lasting 30 minutes, along with three individual unsupervised sessions, each lasting 10-15 minutes. Our procedures ensures that both participants and instructors are blinded to the group allocation, allowing both groups to train together (e.g., mixed training groups).
OTHER	Non-personalized back exercises	The active control intervention is a 12-week non-personalized physical back training program. It consists of six to eight exercises selected from a predefined set by a physical therapist or medical doctor. These exercises are not selected through a clinical reasoning process, i.e., they are neither tailored nor problem-oriented nor based on the results of a clinical assessment. An initial one-on-one training session will take place to familiarize participants with the back training program, corresponding to the first week's session of the 12-week intervention period. During the 12-week intervention period, the training comprises one supervised group session per week, lasting 30 minutes, along with three individual unsupervised sessions, each lasting 10-15 minutes. Our procedures ensures that both participants and instructors are blinded to the group allocation, allowing both groups to train together (e.g., mixed training groups).

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-05-01
• Primary completion: 2027-12-01
• Completion: 2027-12-01
• First posted: 2025-04-22
• Last updated: 2025-05-04

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Switzerland