Effectiveness of 'Functional Range Conditioning' in Treating Patients With Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain

Effectiveness of a New Therapeutic Technique 'Functional Range Conditioning' in Treating Patients With Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain

The aims of this study are to examine the effectiveness of functional range conditioning in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain in terms of improving hip internal rotation and strength of the hip abductors, and reducing pain and disability.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Chronic Low Back Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: FRC exercise; Behavioral: Conventional Exercise

Detailed Description

It will be a single blind two-arm randomized controlled trial. Saudi men and women aged between 25 - 45 years with a diagnosis of chronic non-specific low back pain will be invited to participate in this study. Subjects who will fulfill the study's criteria and who are willing to participate in this study will be asked to sign an informed consent form. The primary outcome will be the active and passive range of motion (ROM) of the hip internal rotators and it will be measured using digital inclinometer. The secondary outcomes in this study will be the maximum torque of the hip abductors (gluteus medius), concentric at a constant, low-speed, and high-speed. The peak torque and strength will be measured using isokinetic dynamometry, pain intensity will be assessed using a visual analog scale and disability will be assessed using Oswestry disability index. All participants will have their information taken by the principal investigator. Subsequently, participants will randomly be assigned to either the FRC group or the conventional treatment group by the principal investigator. Concealed randomization will be performed by means of a computer-generated table of random numbers. Outcomes will be measured at baseline, week 4 and week 8 for all participants in both groups by an assistant researcher.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 56
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Saudi Arabia
  • Riyad, Saudi Arabia
    • King Saud University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 25 years to 45 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Saudi men and women aged between 25 - 45 years with a diagnosis of chronic non-specific low back pain

Exclusion Criteria:

• Hip, spine and knee pathology.
• Hip and knee replacement.
• Surgery and fracture within the last 6 months.
• Cancer.
• Pregnant women.
• Any medical condition that precluded safe participation in exercise programs such as significant cardiac, pulmonary, neurological disease or mental disorder.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: FRC group; This group will receive FRC exercise.	Behavioral: FRC exercise; The program will consist of hip joint controlled articular rotations (CARs) in standing position for 3 - 5 repetitions. Then, the participant will sit on the floor in what is called 90/90 position which is sitting in hip and flexion in 90 degrees for both the lead (front) and trail (side) leg. The participant will perform a Progressive and regressive angular isometric loadings (PAILs and RAILs) for the trail leg to increase the range of internal rotation, the contraction will be performed three times and the holding of the position will be for two minutes. After expanding the range, the participant will perform Progressive and regressive angular loadings (PALs and RALs) isometric contractions in form of a passive range hold for internal rotation and abduction, for 3 - 5 times.
Experimental: Conventional treatment; This group will receive conventional exercise.	Behavioral: Conventional Exercise; The conventional training program in this study will be the routine training for increasing the hip rotation. By screening the scientific literature, the conventional training found to consists of static stretching and strengthening using body weight and/or a band and the time of holding a stretch is about 30 seconds. For that the flexibility exercise will consist of progressive stretching from a prone position (leg fall in a stretch), the participant will perform 3 - 5 repetitions with 30 seconds hold or as tolerated. The strengthening exercise consists of hip abduction (hip opening) using a band or ankle weight from side lying for 10 - 12 repetitions 3 times.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Passive range of motion (Hip internal rotation)	It will be measured using digital inclinometer	Change from baseline passive hip internal range of motion at 8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Strength of the hip abductors (gluteus medius)	Strength of the hip abductors will be measured using hand held dynamometer or isokinetic dynamometry,	Change from baseline hip abductors strength at 8 weeks
Pain Intensitiy	Pain intensity will be assessed using visual analog scale (VAS) (0 - 10 cm with 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst pain).	Change from baseline pain intensity at 8 weeks
Functional disability	Functional disability will be assessed using Oswestry disability index. Each item in the questionnaire is scored on a 0-5 scale with zero indicating the least amount of disability and the 5 indicating most severe disability.The scores for total items answered are summed, and multiplied by two to get the index (range 0 to 100). Zero indicates no disability and 100 indicates maximum possible disability.	Change from baseline functional disability at 8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: King Saud University
• Investigators: Study Director: ahmed alghadir, PHD, King Saud University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 15, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2018
• Study Completion (Actual): January 1, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 26, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 6, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): March 7, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 27, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 25, 2019
• Last Verified: February 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Back Pain; Low Back Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: CAMS 028-3839

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No
• IPD Plan Description: Data will be kept secure with principal investigator (Ms. Reem S. Alattallah) and sub-investigator (Dr. Ahmad Alghadir) due to confidentiality issues

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No