NCT07370272

CMCT Versus CSE in Treatment of SIJ Pain

Lumbopelvic Cognitive Movement Control Training Versus Core Stability Exercises in Treatment of Sacroiliac Joint Pain

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 36 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Cairo University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 45 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study aims to investigate the difference between integrating lumbopelvic cognitive movement control training versus core stabilization exercises to the conventional physiotherapy program on pain, function, lumbopelvic stability, functional load transfer, and postural control in patients suffering from SIJ pain. The main question it aims to answer is: What are the effects of adding lumbopelvic movement control training versus core stabilization exercises to the conventional physiotherapy program in treating patients with SIJ pain? Researchers will compare adding lumbopelvic movement control training versus core stabilization exercises to the conventional physiotherapy program to investigate its effectiveness in treatment of SIJ pain Participants will: 1. receive the intervention as follows: * Group (A) - Control Group: will receive conventional physiotherapy program (US and MET) * Group (B) - Core Stability Exercises Group: will receive conventional US, MET, and core stability ex's * Group (C) - Lumbopelvic cognitive movement control training Group: will receive conventional US, MET, and cognitive movement control training. 2. receive the training protocol 3 times a week for 8 weeks according to the set schedules. 3. perform a home exercise program in the same dose of repetitions and time as in the session. 4. be assessed before and after the intervention and training period to address the outcome measures.

Detailed description

The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain is a significant contributor to LBP at any age, but it affects the elderly and young active people more frequently. Based on estimates from several studies, the SIJ causes pain in 10-38% of LBP patients. Altered lumbopelvic stability causes faulty movement of the spine during limb movement, and the faulty movement may cause mechanical irritation to the adjacent joint which when repeated and accumulated may cause LBP or SIJP. Additionally, it was revealed that patients with LBP have altered movement strategies in the form of uncontrolled movements which cause symptoms. This uncontrolled movement can be defined as 'an inability to cognitively control movement at a specific site and direction, while moving elsewhere to benchmark standards'. Despite the need to identify the most effective treatment options for SIJ pain, controversy still remains with unclear definite conclusion regarding the use of physiotherapy interventions in those patients. Clinically, the diagnosis pathway has become more definite, but the treatment algorithm is less well-defined with conflicting evidence of the standard treatment either invasively or conservatively. For the management of SIJP, the conventional approach which includes ultrasound (US) application combined with muscle energy technique (MET) for the lumbopelvic region can be successfully used. Moreover, core stabilization exercises are considered a fundamental component of physiotherapy with the goal to improve the strength and coordination of deep core stabilizers such as the transversus abdominis, multifidus, and pelvic floor muscles, which are critical for maintaining lumbopelvic stability, reducing pain and disability and also, lowing the risk of recurrent injury. Among the conservative interventions, cognitive movement control training has begun to emerge as a promising management approach and garnered attention in recent years because it involves active cognitive participation and focuses on improving stability and neuromuscular control of the lumbosacral region. Despite that stabilization and motor control exercises, in the context of the physiotherapy literature, are a well-established management method for LBP and SIJ region pain, there is still limited evidence on which stabilization or motor control training approach is more effective and leads to better outcomes in patients with LBP of sacroiliac origin. Unfortunately, within the available literature, various treatment plans for SIJ pain have been described but there are few published studies regarding postural lumbopelvic stability and SIJ and as a result, the assessment and management of SIJP subjects with potential balance or postural control deficits are valuable and needed. Although the effectiveness of motor control training in reducing pain in the lumbar spine was confirmed, the need for the selection of exercises due to the occurrence of various forms of movement pattern disorders is still critical. This underlies the need to recognize individual differences in clinical presentation and/or which activities and functions are painful and difficult to do. Therefore, here is the importance of cognitive movement control training in targeting the patient's own complaint and also tailoring interventions based on assessment. So, CMCT can be an effective form of treatment for lumbopelvic pain because this type of exercises restores normal muscle activation, proprioceptive reeducation, and retraining of movement patterns with a positive effect of on disability and pain severity in the short-term and long-term. Despite it has been shown to have great clinical utility at the hip and groin and also, on the non-specific low back pain with positive effects on disability and pain severity in the short and long terms, there are no clear results about the effect of cognitive movement control retraining on patients with SIJP. Therefore, here is the significance of this study.

Conditions

• Sacroiliac Joint Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	The conventional Physiotherpay Program (US & MET)	The conventional approach includes ultrasound (US) application combined with muscle energy technique (MET) for the lumbopelvic region. The subjects will receive therapeutic ultrasound (for 5 mins, intensity of 1W/cm2). In addition, MET will be applied in prone for anterior and posterior innominate rotation around the pelvis. The subject will then be asked to apply 20% force against that applied by the therapist and hold that contraction for 10 seconds over 5 to 10 repetitions.
OTHER	Core Stability Exercises (CSE)	In addition to the conventional protocol including US and MET stretching, subjects in this group will perform core stabilization exercises (CSE) to improve the activation and coordination of deep core stabilizers: transversus abdominis, multifidus, and pelvic floor muscles, which are essential for maintaining lumbopelvic stability and neuromuscular control. The core stabilization exercises consist of 5 exercises: pelvic tilt, double knee to chest, bridging, bird-dog, and cat-camel, to be performed in the same order. Also, before each exercise, the physical therapist will give detailed verbal explanation and visual instructions (pictures) regarding the start and end positions. Each exercise will be done for two sets of 10 repetitions, 3 sessions per week (day after day), for 8 weeks.
OTHER	Lumbopelvic cognitive movement control training (CMCT)	In addition to the traditional protocol including US and MET stretching, subjects in this group will undergo lumbopelvic cognitive movement control training (CMCT) that requires the lumbopelvic region to be positioned in a neutral alignment and the subject will be asked to consciously maintain the desired alignment and keep a pre-determined value of PBU whilst the lower limbs are actively moved to achieve a pre-determined benchmark. This training will be in multi-directions to address the lumbopelvic uncontrolled movements into flexion, extension and rotation as follows: * Into flexion, we will use double bent leg lift exercise * Into extension, we will use double leg lower exercise and also, double knee bend exercise * Into rotation, we will use single hip extension exercise and also, bent knee fallout exercise Each exercise will be done for 20-30 slow repetitions or up to two consecutive mins. of slow repetitions, with hold time (no pressure change) for at least 5 seconds inbetween.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-02-01
• Primary completion: 2026-07-01
• Completion: 2026-08-01
• First posted: 2026-01-27
• Last updated: 2026-01-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Egypt