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Effect of Back School and Supervised Walking in Sedentary Women With Chronic Low Back Pain

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Chronic Low Back Pain
Interventions
Behavioral: Back School Intervention
Behavioral: Supervised Walking Intervention
Behavioral: Back School and Walking
Behavioral: Control Group
Registration Number
NCT00803413
Lead Sponsor
University of Sao Paulo
Brief Summary

Do Back School and/or supervised walking improve reported pain and spine flexibility in sedentary women with chronic low back pain (LBP)?

Detailed Description

From August 2002 to March 2004, one hundred nineteen volunteers sedentary women with chronic LBP and age ranging from 32 to 60 years old, randomly allocated to four groups of participants assigned as Back School (BS; N=28), Supervised Walking (W; N=32), Back School and Supervised Walking (BS+W; N=29), and Control Group (CG; N=30) were submitted to interventions once a week for 5 consecutive weeks and followed for up to 6 months. The groups BS, W, and BS+W received LBP-targeted lectures and on-place practical sessions of each respective intervention. CG received print information about LBP and 5 different lectures unrelated to LBP.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
119
Inclusion Criteria
  • Age range 30 to 60 years old
  • LBP without any known organic cause for at least 3 months of duration
  • Less than 90 minutes per week of regular physical activity of any intensity
Exclusion Criteria
  • Any known organic cause of LBP

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Back SchoolBack School InterventionParticipants received weekly sessions of 45 minutes including: 15-minute lectures about basics of spine's anatomy, ergonomics, techniques of lifting and transportation of weights and volumes, body posture in several daily tasks and situations, and spine preventive care; 30 minutes of on-place supervised exercises for posture and spine flexibility (muscle stretching, relaxation, strengthening)
Supervised WalkingSupervised Walking InterventionParticipants received weekly sessions of 45 minutes including: 15-minute lectures about basics of physical activity, its advantages and benefits, barriers and facilitators, types and opportunities; 30 minutes of on-place supervised walking in group
Back School and WalkingBack School and WalkingParticipants received weekly sessions of 90 minutes including: 30-minute lectures about basics of spine's anatomy, ergonomics, techniques of lifting and transportation of weights and volumes, body posture in several daily tasks and situations, spine preventive care, and about physical activity, its advantages and benefits, barriers and facilitators, types and opportunities; 30 minutes of on-place supervised exercises for posture and spine flexibility (muscle stretching, relaxation, strengthening); 30 minutes of on-place supervised walking in group
Control GroupControl GroupParticipants received weekly sessions of 45 minutes including lectures about: stress control, healthy nutrition (2 lectures), sleep hygiene and injury prevention; beside the 2-page folder content this group received no other information about LBP, BS or walking all along the follow-up.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Intensity of Low Back Pain (LBP) Self-Estimated by Visual Analogical Scale (VAS)6 months

Patients were asked to indicate their perception about their LBP intensity with a cross on a line without marks, ranging from 1 (very light pain) through 10 (very strong pain)

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Spine Flexibility (3rd Fingertip to Floor - 3FF).6 months

Patients in up-right position with joined feet and stretched out arms were asked to bend the spine as much as possible without bending the knees; the least achieved distance between the 3rd fingertip and the floor was measured in centimeters with a proper rule.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Center for Health Promotion - Hospital das Clínicas - FMUSP

🇧🇷

São Paulo, Brazil

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