Effect of Core Engagement Exercises and Routine Exercise Therapy on Low Back Pain in Middle School Children

Low back pain is defined as the region of pain between the lower ribs and hips. Low back pain with respect to middle school children corresponds to the age where children and adolescents go to school for longer periods of time, having heavy bags, assuming poor postures while sitting for prolonged hours. Poor posture, prolonged sitting and lack of physical activity results in back pain that leads to poor performance in school as well as attendance.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Low Back Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Core Stability protocol; Procedure: Routine exercise therapy

Detailed Description

Middle school children are the children of the age where they spend most of their hours sitting in school. Low back pain often goes undiagnosed and unreported in children which persists and if left untreated, causes problems in later stages in life.

Low back pain is the region of pain from lower ribs to hips. Children and teenagers often have lower back discomfort, which may be brought on by several conditions, including poor lifting skills, bad posture, and overuse injuries from sports or other physical activity. According to estimates, up to 50% of school-aged children may sometimes have lower back discomfort. The muscles that surround our spine are considered the "core" of our body. It is composed of the abdominal muscles on your front and sides, the erector muscles and gluteus. Each and every one of these muscles must work together in order to enhance the stability of the spine. When muscles contract they create force and stiffness. It is the stiffness part that is important for stability. When the core fails to meet the stability demands placed on the body during a certain lift, parts of the spine will be overloaded with forces that increase injury risk and performance will suffer. For that, various warm up exercises, stretches and mobility exercises are performed so that the body can work as stable linked system that works efficiently as well.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Arshia Salman, MS-MSKPT*; Phone Number: 03349590943; Email: arshia.salman98@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Pakistan
  • Punjab
    • Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan, 46000
      • Recruiting
      • Foundation University College of Physical Therapy
      • Contact: Muhammad Ehab, DPT,MSNMPT,phd; Phone Number: 03155330080; Email: ehab@fui.edu.pk

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Middle aged school children between age 9 and 14.
• Both male and female.
• Back pain of 2 or greater on NPRS

Exclusion Criteria:

• Structural observational deformity (kyposis, lordosis, scoliosis)
• History of post spinal surgery
• Acute low back pain flare up
• Pain or any other injury of lower limbs

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Group A; Patients in this group will receive Core Stability Protocol with Routine Exercise Protocol. A total of 3 sessions per week for 6 weeks will be given.	Procedure: Core Stability protocol; 5 Minutes Warm up Hamstring stretch Back Extensor Stretch Hip Flexor Stretch Jumping Rope Stair Stepping Mountain Climbers Curl Up Side Planks Bird Dog Frequency: 3 sessions per week for six weeks. Time Duration: Approx. 30 to 45 minutes; Procedure: Routine exercise therapy; 5 Minutes Warm up Hamstring stretch Back Extensor Stretch Hip Flexor Stretch Jumping Rope Stair Stepping Mountain Climbers Frequency: 3 sessions per week for six weeks. Time Duration: Approx. 30 to 45 minutes
Active Comparator: Group B; Patients will receive Routine Exercise Protocol. A total of 3 sessions per week for 6 weeks will be given.	Procedure: Routine exercise therapy; 5 Minutes Warm up Hamstring stretch Back Extensor Stretch Hip Flexor Stretch Jumping Rope Stair Stepping Mountain Climbers Frequency: 3 sessions per week for six weeks. Time Duration: Approx. 30 to 45 minutes

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pain Intensity	Pain will be measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, which is an 11-item scale.	6 week
Trunk Extensor Endurance	Trunk extensor endurance will be measured using McGill Endurance Test Battery	6 week
Trunk Flexor Endurance	Trunk flexor endurance will be measured using McGill Endurance Test Battery	06 Week
Lateral Endurance	Trunk lateral endurance will be measured using McGill Endurance Test Battery	06 Week

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Foundation University Islamabad

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 30, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 13, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 13, 2023
• First Posted (Estimated): December 27, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): December 27, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 13, 2023
• Last Verified: December 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Back Pain; Low Back Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: FUI/CTR/2023/24

Drug and device information, study documents

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