Magnetic Resonance Elastography Of Chronic Low Back Pain Before And After Therapy

July 20, 2026 updated by: Ziying Yin, Mayo Clinic

Magnetic Resonance Elastography Assessment Of Chronic Low Back Pain Before And After A Manual Therapy Intervention

The purpose of this study is to quantify Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE)-derived mechanical property biomarkers of the lumbar paraspinal musculature and associated myofascial tissue regions before and after the intervention.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
38

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Minnesota
      • Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55905
        • Mayo Clinic in Rochester

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adult males or females (age ≥ 18 years)
  • Report chronic low back pain (≥3 months) (measured by patient history and clinical evaluation)
  • Pain intensity reported at baseline must be ≥4 on the pain VAS scale
  • Presence of myofascial pain features in the lumbar region (e.g., localized tenderness and/or trigger points identified by a qualified clinician/therapist)
  • Able to lie in supine and prone positions for study procedures
  • Be able to participate fully in all aspects of the study
  • Have understood and signed study informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Patients with the inability to stay in a prone and supine position for the required procedure durations (e.g., ≥30 minutes at a time)
  • Any contraindication to an MRI exam, or severe claustrophobia that would prevent safe completion of the scan
  • Previous lumbar spine surgery or history of severe lumbar injury (e.g., fracture) that, in the investigation team's judgment, would interfere with participation or safety
  • Patients with known bleeding disorders or current therapeutic anticoagulation that would increase risk of bruising/bleeding with massage
  • Patients with skin conditions affecting the treatment area (e.g., rash, open wound, active dermatitis) or known allergy to any materials used during treatment (e.g., gels/cleaners), if applicable
  • Receipt of a new pain treatment within 3 days of the study visit (e.g., injection, ablation, spinal manipulation, massage/manual therapy) that could confound pre/post measures
  • Use of short-acting opioid analgesics or sedating medications within 24 hours of the study visit
  • Have an implanted device in or near the treatment area that could interfere with safe application of external pressure
  • Have used an investigational drug within 30 days of study enrollment
  • History of any major cardiovascular events including heart valve disease, ongoing angina, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, acute coronary syndrome, stroke, transient ischemic attack, or peripheral vascular disease.
  • Clinically significant unstable neurologic or systemic illness that would preclude safe participation, as judged by the investigation team.
  • Surgical intervention for pain within 1 month prior to enrollment
  • Active infection, wound, or other external trauma to the areas to be treated
  • Have a known history of any condition or factor judged by the investigator to preclude participation in the study or which might hinder adherence
  • Inability to provide consent

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Expert Manipulative Massage Automation (EMMA)
Subjects will receive one massage therapy session utilizing the EMMA system
Device: EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation)
Participants will receive device-assisted massage therapy using EMMA (Expert Manipulative Massage Automation). Each treatment session will last approximately 30 minutes. The device will be operated using conservative settings with predefined maximum force and pressure limits.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Change in SII-derived mobility index
Time Frame: Baseline, 30 minutes post-intervention
Baseline, 30 minutes post-intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Pain, Enjoyment of Life, and General Activity (PEG) Scale Score
Time Frame: Baseline, 30 minutes post-intervention
The Pain, Enjoyment of Life, and General Activity (PEG) scale is a 3-item participant-reported measure used to assess pain intensity and pain-related interference with enjoyment of life and general activity. The total PEG score is calculated as the average of the 3 item scores and ranges from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating greater pain severity and interference.
Baseline, 30 minutes post-intervention
Change in Spinal Range of Motion (ROM)
Time Frame: Baseline, 30 minutes post-intervention
Spinal range of motion will be assessed by a clinical assessor using a bubble inclinometer. Measurements will include lumbar flexion and right and left lateral bending. The outcome will be reported as the change from baseline in spinal range of motion, measured in degrees.
Baseline, 30 minutes post-intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Mayo Clinic

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Ziying Yin, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 14, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 14, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 17, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 22, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 20, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 26-002257
  • INTERSHIELD 26-002257 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Mayo Clinic Radiology)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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Conditions

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