A Feasibility and Pilot Study of a Multiple Component Mobile-aid Pain Reduction Intervention to Decrease Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Design: A three group randomized control trial will be used to pilot test the effect of our newly created multiple component mobile-aid pain reduction intervention (MCMAPRI) on lowering myofascial pain in the low back and for examining the possibility of implementing this intervention in the desired population. The study will consist of a convenience sample of 30 adult patients who currently have myofascial pain of the low back (i.e., tender knots in the low back). This will be a 12-week study with outcomes measured at Week 1 (T1), Week 8 (T2), and Week 14 (T3). Participants will be randomly placed in one of the following three groups after screening and meeting the study criteria. Group 1 (no treatment condition) will only receive educational materials through email and a weekly phone call from Coordinator to reduce dropouts. Group 2 will receive the new intervention and sham osteopathic manipulative treatment [OMT] for 12 weeks. The multiple component mobile-aid pain reduction intervention will include four components: (1) Posture training through the wearable device, UPRIGHT GO which provides biofeedback to poor posture with vibrations and tracks posture; (2) A daily core muscle training and stretching exercise program including trunk rotation, lumbar rotation, hip flexor stretch, side plank, glute bridge, suitcase carry, and the palloff press exercises; (3) Participants will practice stress reduction through breath focus which will help them to concentrate on deep breathing to help them ignore distracting thoughts and sensations; and (4) Strategies to improve daily level of activity including asking the participants to wear a Garmin device that tracks their daily physical activity and the use of the communication principle to assist participants in overcoming barriers to physical activity. For those who receive multiple component mobile-aid pain reduction intervention, initial training will occur right after the pretest and follow-up training will occur at the midpoint of the program. The sham osteopathic manipulation treatment will be performed by our medical team. Hands will be placed on the patient as if the osteopathic manipulation treatment is being performed. The physician will treat participants with sham osteopathic manipulation treatment twice during month 1 and once during month 2 and 3. Group 3 will receive both multiple component mobile-aid pain reduction intervention and actual osteopathic manipulation treatment. osteopathic manipulation treatment will be conducted by putting pressure on certain muscles in the back and performing osteopathic manipulation treatment exercises on the patient. The physician will treat participants with osteopathic manipulation treatment twice during month 1 and once during month 2 and 3.