Effects of a brief intervention of physical exercise on somatosensory processing, lumbar lengthening and endurance of chronic low back pain patients.

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: low back pain; Musculoskeletal - Other muscular and skeletal disorders

• Registration Number: ACTRN12618000997257
• Lead Sponsor: Carolina Sitges

Brief Summary

1. Research question Acute effects of a 20-minute exercise intervention on tactile and Pressure Pain Thresholds, Lumbar Muscle Endurance and Flexibility in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain. 2. Background information According to a recent epidemiological review of chronic noncancer pain, 17.25% of the Spanish adult population suffers pain and this percentage increased as so does age. Most are women (51.53%) of 51-57 years, which tend to overweight. Also, although the majority of patients are treated, it is often not appropriate and is not very effective. Recent research on chronic pain states have revealed that these patients present substantial changes in the central nervous system (CNS), which represent a key to maintaining the pain factor in time. Thus, our research and findings of other groups have shown that patients with chronic pain have ab-normal processing of somatosensory, affective and cognitive information, which increases pain per-ception and promotes the maintenance of other associated symptoms. Moreover, animal and human studies show that exercise leads to obvious changes in the structure and function of the brain, in addition to the known at metabolic, cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal level, that could bring benefits to patients with pain chronic. In this regard, recent studies have shown that, mild to moderate, aerobic exercise programs reduce pain, fatigue, depressed mood and limitations of health-related quality of life, as well as improve fitness in these patients. Although some research shows that not only aerobic exercises can have benefits for the health of these patients, but also the strength and flexibility exercises. Therefore, this first part of this research project aims to recording improvements in physical fitness (cardiovascular endurance, flexibility and strengthening) and physical symptoms (pain perception) in patients with chronic pain in the short term, after one session of physical exercise 1. Participant characteristics Patients with a history of mechanical and nonspecific low back pain for more than 6 weeks before the study or with intermittent low back pain who have experienced at least 3 episodes of back pain, each lasting more than a week during the year preceding the study 2. Key results In baseline comparison between groups, no differences were found for the physical and clinical char-acteristics of participants Groups were comparable in terms of sex, age, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), pain (at the present time, usually and in the worst moments) and the rest of the control variables examined. Flexibility group presented greater lumbar flexibility; Strength group, a lower sensitivity to pain in the index finger, but a greater lumbar hyperalgesia; Aerobic group, a greater tactile sensitivity in the lum-bar region, but a lower sensitivity to pain in the sacrum; control group, lower sensitivity to gluteal pain, but lower lumbar strength. 5. Limitations A larger sample size could have generated more accurate results. Further investigations of other affec-tive variables as kinesiophobia, pain catastrophizing or fear avoidance beliefs, that can interfere in pain perception, are needed.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Results First Posted: 1900-01-01
• Study Start: 2018-06-14
• Study Completion: 2018-09-28
• Last Update Posted: 24 May 2021

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 83

Inclusion Criteria

Patients with a history of mechanical and nonspecific low back pain for more than 6 weeks before the study or with intermittent low back pain who have experienced at least 3 episodes of back pain, each lasting more than a week during the year preceding the study.

Exclusion Criteria

Suffering acute low back pain at the time of the study.
Suffering referred pain to the lower extremities.
Have a history of spinal surgery, vertebral fracture, pelvis fracture or lower limb fracture.
Have a history of hospitalization for severe trauma or accident
Suffering from arthritis or systemic diseases
Pregnancy

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Study Design: Not specified