Movement Performance in Persons with Chronic Back Pain

Launched by KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET · Mar 17, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial aims to understand how different treatments affect movement and pain in people with chronic low back pain. Specifically, the study will compare the effects of two interventions—Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) and Medical Exercise Treatment (MET)—against an open-label placebo (a treatment that looks like the real thing but has no active ingredients). The researchers want to see if SMT and MET help participants move better, walk more easily, and experience less pain compared to the placebo.

To participate in the trial, individuals must be over 18 years old and have had ongoing back pain for at least three months. They should be able to understand English or Scandinavian languages. During the study, all participants will try each of the three treatments and will be asked to perform tasks like lifting boxes, walking, and rating their pain levels. This trial is not yet recruiting participants, but it aims to provide valuable insights into how these therapies can help improve movement and reduce pain for those suffering from chronic back issues.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Persons who have either experienced continuous or recurring back pain for a period longer than 3 months). Back pain is defined as problems/discomfort from the spine Th1-S1 with associated costovertebral joints and sacroiliac joints, thus including both the lumbar spine and the thoracic spine. The area of pain extends from Th1 to the inferior gluteal fold but does not include the shoulder blades
• • \>18 years old,
• • those who can speak and understand Scandinavian or English.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • "red flags"
• • persons with specific back problems, rheumatic inflammatory joint- and/or back diseases, fractures, diagnosed hip osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, or neurological co-morbidity.