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Effects of Aerobic Exercises in Patients With Low Back Pain

Not Applicable
Conditions
Low Back Pain
Interventions
Other: Aerobic exercise
Other: Placebo Group
Registration Number
NCT03668574
Lead Sponsor
Universidade Cidade de Sao Paulo
Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to test the feasibility of a clinical trial testing the effectiveness of aerobic exercises program in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain.

Detailed Description

A total of 30 patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (with a duration of at least 12 weeks) who are seeking for treatment will be recruited. These patients will be randomly allocated into two groups.

Patients allocated to the placebo group will be treated twice a week for a total of 12 weeks with detuned ultrasound and shortwave therapy

Patients allocated to the exercise group will be trained with aerobic exercises on a treadmill twice a week for a total of 12 weeks.

Primary outcomes will be pain and disability. Feasibility outcomes will be adherence, satisfaction and recruitment. Kinesiophobia, perceived global effect and physical capacity will also be analyzed as secondary outcomes. The outcome assessor of this trial will be blinded to the group allocation.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
30
Inclusion Criteria
  • Patients with chronic non-specific low back pain with a pain intensity of at least 3 points at the baseline assessment measured by the Numerical Pain Scale, between 18 and 80 years of age and able to read Portuguese.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Patients who have some contraindication to exercise, fractures, tumors, inflammatory and infectious diseases, severe cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and the development of chronic inflammatory diseases (eg, dyspnoea, limiting diseases of the lower limbs, previous spinal surgery and pregnancy.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Aerobic exercise groupAerobic exercisePatients will firstly warm up for 5 minutes and begin training on the treadmill. There will be two weekly sessions, lasting 40 minutes, for 6 weeks, reaching a total of 12 sessions. The exercise intensity will vary from 60 to 90% of the maximum heart rate (HRmax) predicted by the percentage formula HR = HR rep + percentage (HRmax - HR rep), where HRmax = 220-age (years) and HR rep = HR obtained for five minutes of rest. Heart rate and level of subjective perception of the effort will be monitored during all sessions. Patients from this group will also be educated about their back pain by receiving a copy of The back Book.
Placebo GroupPlacebo GroupPatients will received a detuned pulsed 5-minute ultrasound and pulsed short-wave diathermy for 25 minutes, twice weekly for 6 weeks. The devices will be used with disconnected internal cables to obtain the placebo effect; however, it will be possible to manipulate the devices and adjust the doses and alarms as if they were connected, in order to simulate the pragmatism of clinical practice as well as to increase the credibility of the use of these devices in patients. Patients from this group will also be educated about their back pain by receiving a copy of The back Book.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Pain intensity measured by a 0-10 Numerical Pain Rating Scale.Six weeks after randomization

Pain intensity will be measured by a 0-10 Numerical Pain Rating Scale. Higher values represent higher pain intensity.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Maximum exercise capacity measured with the modified Shuttle Walk TestSix weeks after randomization

Maximum exercise capacity will be measured with the modified Shuttle Walk Test. The purpose of this test is to see how far and fast patients can walk by following a series of time signals.

Patients will be asked to walk between two cones spaced 10 metres apart. Participants will begin by walking at a very slow pace; this pace is set by a beep. Patients will walk around the 10 metre course aiming to turn around a cone at the first beep, and around the second cone at the next beep.

The beep's will very gradually get faster, which means that patients will begin to walk at a quicker pace, getting faster and faster until he/she cannot keep up with the set pace, or until the participant is too breathless or tired to continue.

The test has 12 levels each lasting 1 minute with a minimum walking speed of 1.2 miles per hour, up to a maximum of 5.3 miles per hour.

Global Impression of Recovery measured with the 11-point Global Perceived Effect ScaleSix weeks after randomization

Global impression of recovery will be measured with the 11-point (-5 to + 5) Global Perceived Effect Scale. A negative score means deterioration of symptoms and positive scores mean improvement. A score of +5 means that the patient is considered as fully recovered.

Disability measured with the 0-24 Rolland Morris Disability Questionnaire.Six weeks after randomization

Disability will be measured with the 0-24 Rolland Morris Disability Questionnaire. Higher values represent higher disability.

Physical activity levels measured with an AccelerometerSix weeks after randomization

Physical Activity will be measured with an accelerometer. Patients will wear an accelerometer for seven consecutive days. The higher the values, the higher the physical activity levels.

Kinesiophobia measured with Tampa Scale of KinesiophobiaSix weeks after randomization

Kinesiophobia (i.e. fear of movement) will be measured with the 17-68 point Tampa Scale of kinesiophobia. The higher the score, the higher is the fear of movement.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Irlei dos Santos

🇧🇷

São Paulo, SP, Brazil

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