WATERinMOTION Aquatic Exercise Program Compared to Land-Based Rehabilitation on Low-Back Pain Relief and Quality of Life

Efficacy of the WATERinMOTION Aquatic Exercise Program Compared to Land-Based Rehabilitation on Low-Back Pain Relief and Quality of Life in Sedentary Overweight and Obese Middle-Aged Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT06946342

Acronym

WATERinMOTION

Enrollment

Registered

2025-04-27

Start date

2025-01-25

Completion date

2025-05-30

Last updated

2025-04-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Low Back Pain, Obesity, Sedentary Behavior

Keywords

Hydrotherapy, Exercise Therapy, Middle Aged, Quality of Life, Disability Evaluation

Brief summary

This randomized controlled trial compares the efficacy of an 8-week WATERinMOTION aquatic exercise program versus land-based rehabilitation for reducing low-back pain (LBP) and improving quality of life in sedentary, overweight/obese middle-aged women (n=45). Outcomes include pain intensity (VAS), functional disability (ODI), and health-related quality of life (SF-36).

Detailed description

Participants (aged 45-65, BMI ≥25 kg/m², chronic LBP ≥3 months) were randomized to aquatic exercise (n=45) or land-based rehabilitation (n=45). Both groups completed three 60-minute sessions/week for 8 weeks. Assessments occurred at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. Primary outcomes: VAS and ODI; secondary outcomes: SF-36 and satisfaction.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALAquatic Exercise Group

Structured WATERinMOTION aquatic exercise program (3x/week for 8 weeks) in a heated pool (30-32°C), including warm-up, aerobic conditioning, resistance training with water equipment (e.g., dumbbells, noodles), and cool-down. Sessions are group-based and led by certified instructors.

BEHAVIORALLand-Based Rehabilitation Group

60-minute land-based sessions (3x/week for 8 weeks), including core stabilization, low-impact aerobics, and stretching.

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Single-blind (outcome assessors only; participants/instructors unblinded due to intervention nature).

Intervention model description

This is a two-arm, randomized, single-blind, parallel-group trial comparing the efficacy of two distinct exercise interventions: Experimental Arm: Structured aquatic exercise program (WATERinMOTION). Active Comparator Arm: Land-based rehabilitation program.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

FEMALE

Age

45 Years to 65 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Women aged 45-65, BMI ≥25 kg/m². * Sedentary (\<150 min/week moderate activity). * Chronic LBP (≥3 months, VAS ≥4).

Exclusion criteria

* Contraindications to exercise (e.g., severe cardiovascular disease). * Spinal surgery history or inflammatory conditions (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis).

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Pain Intensity	Baseline, 8 weeks (post-intervention), 3-month follow-up	Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Scale Range: 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable),
Functional Disability	Baseline, 8 weeks (post-intervention), 3-month follow-up	Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Scale Range: 0% (no disability) to 100% (severe disability)

Secondary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL)	Baseline, 8 weeks (post-intervention), 3-month follow-up	Measure: 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36)
Participant Satisfaction	8 weeks (post-intervention), 3-month follow-up	Measure: 5-point Likert Scale, Scale Range: 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied)

Countries

Iran

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026