A Follow-up Comparison of Sensory Discrimination in Patients With Low Back Pain

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Low Back Pain
• Interventions: Other: Home exercise program only; Other: Home exercise program and home program of sensory discrimination

• Registration Number: NCT03760887
• Lead Sponsor: St. Ambrose University

Brief Summary

To determine if there is any carry over difference with sensation training to the low back for patients with low back pain with the addition of a training at home. This will be looked at to see if there is a difference in pain or back / leg movement right after the training and in a few days after doing some exercises at home.

Detailed Description

In a previous case series patients with chronic Low Back Pain (LBP) who received tactile acuity training to their lower back in the absence of movement, experienced immediate positive changes in pain ratings and spinal movements. These changes, however, where only measured immediate post-intervention. This study aims to use a similar design of sensory discrimination for LBP, but will include a sensory discrimination home exercise program and compare groups at a follow-up visit for any difference between groups (48-96 hours) of the immediate changes. Changes will be assessed for pain and back and leg movement.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2018-06-01
• Status Verified: 2018-11
• Study First Submitted: 2018-11-26
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-11-29
• Study First Posted: 2018-11-30
• Primary Completion: 2018-12-30
• Study Completion: 2018-12-30
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-04-22
• Last Update Posted: 2019-04-23

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 102

Inclusion Criteria

• adults over the age of 18
• patients presenting at PT with a primary complaint of LBP
• LBP being present for 3 months or more
• fluent in English
• willing to participate in the study
• They also will need someone who can assist with a sensory discrimination HEP.

Exclusion Criteria

• under age 18
• not able to read/understand the English language
• prisoners
• no medical issues precluding physical therapy treatment (red flags)
• if they had undergone spinal surgery
• if they had any skin or medical condition preventing them from receiving tactile stimuli on the lower back or had specific movement-based precautions, i.e., no active spinal flexion. - Patients presenting with leg pain only
• Patients with neurological deficit only in the lower extremity

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
No Home Sensory training	Home exercise program only	Patients who perform a home exercise program only
Home sensory training	Home exercise program and home program of sensory discrimination	Patients who perform home exercise and home sensory training

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Lumbar Flexion	Change from end of treatment initial session to 2-4 days	Active trunk forward flexion measured in cm (finger tips to floor)
Low Back Pain Rating	Change from end of treatment initial session to 2-4 days	Numeric Pain Rating Scale for Back pain (0 = no pain and 10 = worst pain)
Straight Leg Raise	Change from end of treatment initial session to 2-4 days	Neurodynamic measurement of leg raise (lower limb tension test)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

St. Ambrose university; 🇺🇸 Davenport, Iowa, United States