Aquatic and Land Exercises for Chronic Low Back Pain

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH · Mar 7, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how effective exercises in water (aquatic exercises) and on land can be for managing chronic low back pain in adults aged 18 to 65. The goal is to see if these exercises can help with pain relief, improve daily activities, reduce fear of movement, enhance sleep quality, and boost overall quality of life. Participants will take part in a 12-week program where they will be supervised while doing both types of exercises. The study will compare how well the aquatic exercises work against land exercises for treating low back pain.

To be eligible for this trial, participants need to be between 18 and 65 years old, have had chronic low back pain for at least 12 weeks, and be able to read and understand English. It’s important for participants to be willing to be assigned to either the water or land exercise group. However, certain conditions, such as severe back problems, heart issues, or mental health concerns, may disqualify someone from participating. If you join the trial, you can expect to engage in structured exercise sessions designed to help manage your pain, and you'll be part of a supportive environment focused on improving your health.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Age between 18 and 65
• • Both Genders
• • Literate in the English language to understand instructions/ to complete a self-report questionnaire.
• • Having non-specific Chronic low back pain (≥12 weeks)
• • Patient willingness to be a part of any randomly selected treatment groups.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Pregnant Females
• • If they had low back pain as the result of diagnosis of severe osteoporosis, spinal bone disorders such as spondylosis and spondylolisthesis, fractures, lumbar spine stenosis, lower limb joint replacement surgery, hip orthosis, ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, infective or inflammatory disease, compression of the radial nerve, meningitis, arthrosis, lumbar region tumours, Leg length discrepancy, previous back surgery.
• • Uncontrolled hypertension, Severe postural hypotension, any heart disease like Left heart failure or exercise-induced angina. Medical illnesses without a medical managing plan in place, e.g., uncontrolled epilepsy, diabetes mellitus. Neurologic deficit, open wounds, current or recurrent radiation treatment.
• • Patients with severe depression and psychosis
• • People who are already participating in an individually-prescribed exercise programme for LBP.
• Aquatic exercises /Pool specific:
• • Individuals with hydrophobia/ water-related anxiety, or inability to adapt to an aquatic environment.
• • Allergy to chlorine, Severe limiting airway disease
• • Faecal or urinary incontinence, diarrhoea, and vomiting.
• • Weight more than the emergency evacuation manual handling risk assessment.