EmpowerSpine Program

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Internet Delivered Treatment, Spinal Cord Injury, Chronic Pain, Multidisciplinary Approach

In brief

Chronic pain affects over 60% of individuals living with spinal cord injuries (SCI), significantly impairing their daily lives and overall well-being. Traditional treatments like medications often provide limited relief and come with unwanted side effects. Recognizing this gap, the EmpowerSpine program was co-developed as an innovative, online, multidisciplinary pain management solution tailored for individuals with SCI. EmpowerSpine equips participants with evidence-based tools, including education about pain biology, behavioural strategies to manage daily activities, and techniques to improve self-monitoring and resilience. Delivered through an accessible digital platform, the program is designed to overcome barriers such as limited mobility, high costs, and geographic constraints. In initial trials, EmpowerSpine demonstrated high levels of satisfaction and adherence among participants, with improvements in pain intensity, mental health, and quality of life. The proposed research seeks to refine EmpowerSpine using the multiphase optimization strategy (MOST), a pragmatic research framework, to identify which components of the program (i.e. clinician guidance, peer support groups, follow-up booster sessions) yield the best outcomes. A randomized controlled trial involving 100 participants will evaluate the program's impact on self-efficacy, pain levels, and overall quality of life. This work aims to optimize EmpowerSpine for scalability, making it a sustainable and effective resource for individuals with SCI across Canada. By leveraging partnerships with patient organizations and healthcare providers, the research will ensure the program addresses real-world needs and is positioned for widespread implementation. EmpowerSpine has the potential to revolutionize how chronic pain is managed in the SCI community, offering a scalable model of care that combines technology, evidence-based practices, and patient-centered approaches to improve lives.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07419646

Run by

Lawson Research Institute of St. Joseph's

People needed

100

Starts

2026-06-01

Expected to finish

2027-10-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-02-19

Who can join

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

You may qualify if…

• 18 years of age or older
• Canadian residents
• identify as sustaining an SCI
• living in the community
• pain intensity ≥3 on the numeric rating scale

You may not qualify if…

• have pain intensity<3;
• present with severe mental health disorder requiring face-to-face therapy (e.g., severe suicide ideation, recent history of psychosis, mania)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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