Low Back Pain
Conditions
Keywords
Feasibility study
Brief summary
The purpose of this project is to investigate the feasibility of using belt squat as an exercise intervention for people with chronic low back pain. We will recruit people with chronic low back pain as well as asymptomatic controls
Detailed description
The purpose of the current project is to evaluate the feasibility of performing belt squats in healthy participants and persistent non-specific low back pain (LBP) patients. For this project we wish to recruit 20 healthy volunteers 20 volunteers LBP patients through notices at Aalborg University, on www.forsog.dk, and on Facebook. The following inclusion and exclusion criteria will be used for the healthy subjects: Healthy men and women, age 18-60. And for the LBP patients: Non-specific LBP for more than twelve weeks without major sciatica (back pain >leg pain), age 18-60. Exclusion criteria pertinent to all subjects were: Leg pain greater than back pain, neuromuscular disorders, spinal or lower extremity fractures, infections, cancer, osteoporosis, dementia, BMI>35, current substance abuse, former lumbar surgery, persistent pain syndromes other than back pain, inflammatory rheumatic diseases. In the study, participants will perform hip belt squat training twice per week for 6 weeks. To test the feasibility of performing hip belt squat training in healthy participants and persistent LBP patients the project will be based on the Bowen feasibility model. This model lists eight different focus areas for feasibility studies, where this particular sub-project will focus on four of these areas being: acceptability, demand, implementation, and practicality. To test the acceptability and demand, subjects will be interviewed on their satisfaction, intention to continue use, actual use, perceived appropriateness, and perceived demand of the training. Implementation and practicality will be assessed by evaluation of the degree of execution, success or failure of execution, factors affecting implementation ease or difficulty, positive/negative effects on participants, ability of participants to carry out the training activities and a cost analysis. Lastly, to test the acceptance of methods relevant to the training, measures on lumbar flexibility, muscle strength, muscle mass (DEXA scan), pain sensitivity (pressure-pain threshold, PPT) using a handheld pressure algometer (Somedic, Sweden), muscle activity (Electromyographic measurement, EMG) and the following questionnaires: Fear-avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) (which ranges from 0 (no disability) to 100 (bedridden)), health-related quality of life as measured by EuroQOL-5D (EQ-5D) (ranging from -0.596 to 1, with higher scores indicating better quality of life) will be carried out
Interventions
OTHERHip belt squat training
Hip belt squat training performed twice per week for 6 weeks
Sponsors
Aalborg University Hospital
Mathias Kristiansen
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Healthy men and women * Men and women with non-specific low back pain for more than twelve weeks
Exclusion criteria
* Leg pain greater than back pain * Neuromuscular disorders * Spinal or lower extremity fractures * Infections * Cancer * Osteoporosis * Dementia * Current substance abuse * Former lumbar surgery * Persistent pain syndromes other than back pain * Inflammatory rheumatic diseases
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptability | Immediately after the intervention | Acceptability of the intervention will be assessed using a 5 point likert scale ranging from completely agree to completely disagree on whether the intervention was acceptable or not. |
| Demand | Immediately after the intervention | Demand of the intervention will be assessed using a 5 point likert scale ranging from completely agree to completely disagree on whether the participants wish to incorporate belt squats into their future training. |
| Implementation | Immediately after the intervention | Implementation of the intervention will be assessed using a 5 point likert scale ranging from completely agree to completely disagree on whether the intervention was feasible or not. |
| Practicality | Immediately after the intervention | Practicality will be assessed by evaluation of the adherence level, computed as the percentage of completed training sessions. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Oswetry Disability index | Assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention period | A questionnaire measuring the degree of disability, which ranges from 0 (no disability) to 100 (bedridden). |
| Health related quality of life | Assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention period | A questionnaire measuring the easured health-related quality of life (EuroQOL-5D), ranging from -0.596 to 1, with higher scores indicating better quality of life. |
| Muscle strength | Assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention period | Muscle strength was assessed in the hop belt squat exercise using a 5 repetition maximum test |
| Body composition | Assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention period | To assess changes in body composition a DEXA scan was performed. This test quantified lean body mass (kg) and fat mass (kg). |
| Fear-avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire | Assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention period | Fear-avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) measuring the amount of kinesiophobia, ranging from 0-96 with higher scores indicating higher levels of fear avoidance belief. |
| Lumbar flexibility | Assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention period | Lumbar flexibility was assessed using a custom made test. |
| Pain sensitivity | Assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention period | Pressure-pain threshold was assessed using a handheld pressure algometer. |
| Muscle activity | Assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention period | Electromyography was used to assess muscle activation. |
Countries
Denmark
Outcome results
None listed