A Combined Lifestyle Intervention Delivered by Physio/exercise Therapists for Patients with Persistent Low Back Pain and Overweight or Obesity

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Low Back Pain

In brief

Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is costly. Lifestyle factors, such as physical inactivity, stress, sleep, excess weight, and an unhealthy diet contribute to the burden of LBP and the associated increasing demand for care. Moreover, approximately 65% of LBP patients who visit the hospital are overweight. This group is considered a complex patient group. Of the LBP patients who visit the hospital, 74% are referred back to primary care as medical specialists cannot offer them high value care. Targeting both lifestyle factors (e.g., physical activity, sleep and stress) and clinical factors related to low back pain (e.g., muscle strength, endurance, mobility) is important in the management of this group of LBP patients to improve important outcomes (e.g., functioning, physical activity) and reduce costs. Addressing lifestyle factors may also offer additional health benefits like decreased risks of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The primary objective of this project is to improve the management of this complex group of LBP patients, that is, patients who are overweight or obese and who are referred back to primary care from the hospital because medical specialists cannot offer them high value care, and to reduce healthcare and societal costs. The primary research question is: 'Is a combined lifestyle intervention, integrated into standard care for LBP, delivered by physio/exercise therapists effective and cost-effective in improving physical functioning and/or physical activity over a 36-month period compared to usual care in overweight or obese LBP patients who are referred back from the hospital to primary care?' It is hypothesized that the combined lifestyle intervention, integrated into standard care for LBP, is both effective and cost-effective in managing LBP in patients who are overweight or obese over a 36-month period.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06594796

Run by

Willeke Boonstra

People needed

318

Starts

2025-01-20

Expected to finish

2029-02-01

Last updated by the study team

2025-01-24

Who can join

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

You may qualify if…

• Patients with persistent (≥3 months) non-specific LBP who are referred back from the hospital to primary care
• Either BMI≥30 OR BMI≥25 with at least one comorbidity (osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, risk factors for cardiovascular diseases or type 2 diabetes)
• Decreased physical functioning (RMDQ ≥4 out of 24)
• Average LBP intensity of ≥3 out of 10 over the past week (NPRS)
• ≥18 years old

You may not qualify if…

• Specific LBP (e.g., tumor or fracture)
• Back surgery in the past six months
• Psychiatric diseases that could hinder participation
• Pregnancy or ≤9 months postpartum

Where it is running

• Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam — Amsterdam, Netherlands (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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