Yoga vs. Education for Veterans With Chronic Low Back Pain

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Recurrent Low Back Pain

In brief

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is the most common pain condition in the military, causing substantial physical and psychological suffering, reduction in force readiness, and high economic cost. Yoga has been studied in 10 RCTs in civilian populations with cLBP suggesting it may be effective in reducing pain intensity, improving back-related function, and lowering pain medication use. Multiple differences exist between civilian and military populations with cLBP, making it necessary to adapt and test yoga for cLBP in military populations. This study's primary aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of yoga for reducing pain in military personnel and Veterans with cLBP through a structured, reproducible 12-week series of hatha yoga classes, supplemented with home practice, compared to an education group. Additionally, the enormous mental health burden often shouldered by returning military personnel presents another important distinguishing factor. Thus, the study's secondary aim is to assess yoga's capacity to reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). The third aim is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of yoga for cLBP at 3 months and 6 months from the perspective of the provider, the Veteran, and the Veterans Health Administration. The fourth and final aim is to evaluate the effect of back pain and yoga on marital and family functioning. The proposed RCT will (1) establish a structured reproducible yoga protocol uniquely suited to Veterans populations with cLBP; (2) develop web-based delivery systems to assist Veterans in yoga home practice; (3) increase our knowledge of the feasibility and impact of yoga for Veterans' cLBP and psychological comorbidities. These results will help determine whether yoga is an effective modality for addressing cLBP in a Veteran population.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02224183

Run by

Boston Medical Center

People needed

120

Starts

2015-03-01

Expected to finish

2016-07-01

Last updated by the study team

2016-07-19

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Veteran of any branch of military service
• Current low-back pain present for at least half the days over the past 6 months mean pain intensity for the previous week ≥4 on 0-10 rating scale

You may not qualify if…

• Significant yoga practice in the previous 6 months
• Have read The Back Pain Helpbook in the previous 6 months
• New LBP treatments started within the previous month or anticipated to begin in the next 3 months
• Known pregnancy
• Known inflammatory or systemic causes of LBP
• Severe and/or progressive medical, neurological, or psychiatric comorbidities
• Inability to understand/speak English
• Plans to move out of the area in the next 6 months
• Lack of informed consent
• Unwillingness to be randomized

Where it is running

• Bedford VA Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial VA Hospital — Bedford, Massachusetts, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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