NCT07192809

The Effect of Attention Distraction on the Adherence to Exercise, in Chronic Low Back Pain Patients.

Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain: Investigating the Effectiveness of a Dual-Task Program as an Attention Distraction Strategy

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Thessaly · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate whether the use of an attention distraction application during exercise increases patient adherence to exercise programs in chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP). In addition, the study will examine whether higher adherence to exercise leads to improved outcomes in pain levels, functional capacity, kinesiophobia, quality of life, central sensitization, and pain catastrophizing.

Detailed description

Participants will be stratified based on their level of physical activity according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) into: * Low physical activity * Moderate physical activity * High physical activity They will then be randomly assigned to one of two groups: (1) an experimental group using the attention distraction application during the standard exercise program and (2) a control group following the same standard exercise program without distraction. The intervention will last for 8 weeks, with participants attending three non-supervised sessions per week (total: 24 training sessions). Each session will last approximately 25-30 minutes. Adherence to the exercise program will be monitored through the EARS questionnaire and the distraction application (The total score ranges from 0 to 24, where a higher score reflects better adherence). The intervention group sessions consist of 5 minute submaximal warm-up followed by 25 minutes of stabilisation and resistance training with exercises focused on strength and stabilisation while using the distraction application. The training will consist of two parts: warming-up and the resistance and stabilisation program. The resistance program will consist of 4 exercises: knee flexion, abdominal crunches, prone superman and leg extension. Each exercise will be performed for 3 sets of 10 repetitions with a rest of 30 sec corresponding to every set , and 1 minute between each exercise. The stabilisation program will consist of 3 exercises: bridge, plank and side plank. Each exercise will be performed for 3 sets of 1 repetition (maximum time) with a rest of 30 sec corresponding to every set and 1 minute between each exercise. Four levels of difficulty will be given for each exercise to allow for progression. Every 2 weeks, there will be a progression that will be achieved by increasing the resistance band tension, by changing the base of support or my modifying the length of resistance level arm. In the control group they will perform the same exercises without the distraction-based application. The exercise intensity will be monitored by the researcher, as determined by the patient's ability to complete three sets of 8-12 repetitions for a given exercise and a CR10scale. The progression will be in line with guidelines provided by the American College of Sports Medicine. Adherence to the program for both groups will be assessed by the Exercise Adherence Rating Scale (EARS - GR).

Conditions

• Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP)
• Distraction Methods
• Adherence to Care

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Stabilisation exercise, resistance exercise and distraction task	The 8-week exercise intervention consists of 25 minutes non supervised training while distracting their attention with a knowledge based application
OTHER	stabilisation exercise and resistance exercises	The 8-week exercise intervention consists of 25 minutes non supervised training without distracting their attention with a knowledge based application

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-09-20
• Primary completion: 2026-01-31
• Completion: 2026-01-31
• First posted: 2025-09-25
• Last updated: 2025-09-25

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Greece