Core Stabilization Training in Juvenile Spondyloarthropathy

June 1, 2026 updated by: Gokce Leblebici, Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

The Effect of Core Stabilization Training on Pain, Functional Status, Fatigue, and Quality of Life in Patients With Juvenile Spondyloarthropathy

Core stabilization exercises developed by McGill have been shown to be one of the physiotherapy techniques aimed at reducing pain, increasing aerobic capacity, enhancing muscle strength, and thereby improving bone health in children with JIA. However, there is no study that has investigated core stabilization training for different types of JIA. In our study, we aim to compare the effectiveness of core stabilization training and a daily physical activity program in children with spondyloarthropathy, to help identify the most effective strategy for clinical practice. Additionally, highlighting the specific effects of core stabilization training on the treatment of juvenile spondyloarthropathy (pain, functional status, fatigue, and quality of life) will make a significant contribution to the literature.

Taking into account the gaps in the literature, our study will investigate the effect of core stabilization training on pain, functional status, fatigue, and quality of life in patients with juvenile spondyloarthropathy.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Core stabilization exercises are one of the physiotherapy techniques aimed at reducing pain, increasing aerobic capacity, enhancing muscle strength, and thereby improving bone health in children with JIA (1). Spondyloarthropathy typically begins as asymmetric oligoarthritis in children, and enthesitis and axial skeleton involvement may develop over the course of the disease (4). Since juvenile spondyloarthropathies can lead to severe functional impairments and long-term sequelae, the primary goal in treatment should be to suppress inflammation as early as possible and to prevent sequelae (5). Physiotherapy is recommended for children and adolescents with enthesitis or sacroiliitis, or those with functional limitations (6). Yoga exercises focusing on the core region have shown significant effects on lower extremity functional status, pain levels, and quality of life in patients with enthesitis-related conditions (2). Studies have supported that core stabilization exercises, combined with traditional physical therapy aimed at improving bone health status and functional capacity, serve as an effective combination therapy for children with JIA involving multiple joint involvement (3).

Therefore, this study aims to fill the knowledge gap regarding core stabilization training in children with spondyloarthropathy.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

30

Phase

  • 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 Locations

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • "According to the International League of Associations for Rheumatology criteria, individuals aged 10-18 diagnosed with spondyloarthritis within the JIA subgroup will be included.
  • Only cases with stable disease activity and without additional neurological or orthopedic conditions will be considered.
  • Participants must also possess the cognitive ability to engage in active rehabilitation.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Individuals with a cardiovascular disease that impedes exercise
  • those who have participated in a rehabilitation program within the last 6 months
  • cases with variable medical treatment will be excluded.

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: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Core stabilization group
lumbo-pelvic/core strength and stability exercises group
Other: core stabilization exercises
The program consists of lumbo-pelvic/core strength and stability exercises. The program will be implemented individually under the supervision of a physiotherapist twice a week for 12 weeks.
Active Comparator: Control group
the group that will have a daily physical activity program established and monitored for participation through weekly exercise tracking chart
Other: daily physical activity program
The program consists of a daily physical activity program established and monitored for participation through weekly exercise tracking chart. The program will be implemented through weekly physiotherapist's control of the exercise tracking chart for 12 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Visual Analogue Scale
Time Frame: immediately after intervention
Pain intensity assessment in the lower extremity regions of the sacroiliac joint, hip, knee, and ankle. It is frequently used to quantify the severity or frequency of different symptoms in epidemiologic and clinical research. From the standpoint of the patient, pain seems to be a continuous spectrum rather than discretely varying, as categories like none, mild, moderate, and severe would imply. To represent this concept of an underlying continuum, the VAS was developed.
immediately after intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Six minute walk test
Time Frame: immediately after intervention
The general functional status of the lower extremities will be evaluated by measuring the six-minute walking distance. The assessment will be conducted along a 15-meter monitored corridor, and the children will be asked to walk as quickly as possible without running. Standard encouragement instructions such as 'keep going' or 'you are doing well' will be used. The children will be allowed to stop and rest during the test, but the countdown will not be paused in these instances. The distance covered over six minutes will be recorded.
immediately after intervention
Pediatric quality of life
Time Frame: immediately after intervention
To assess quality of life, the Turkish version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 3.0 Arthritis (Rheumatology) Module will be used. The PedsQL 3.0 Arthritis Module includes a total of 22 questions across five different domains: pain and hurt (4 items), daily activities (5 items), treatment (7 items), worry (3 items), and communication (3 items). The questionnaire is available in two forms: a patient form and a parent form. Both the children and one of their parents will complete the PedsQL 3.0 Arthritis Module.
immediately after intervention
PedsQL-Multidimensional Fatigue Scale
Time Frame: immediately after intervention
General fatigue, sleep/rest fatigue, cognitive fatigue, and overall fatigue scores will be assessed. Scoring for all child, adolescent, young adult, and parent surveys is conducted on a five-point Likert scale (0 = Never; 1 = Almost Never; 2 = Sometimes; 3 = Often; 4 = Almost Always). A score of 0 indicates high fatigue, while a score of 100 indicates less fatigue on the PedsQL-MFS item scoring.
immediately after intervention
Timed Up and Down Stairs Test (TUDS)
Time Frame: immediately after intervention

The individual taking part is standing one foot from the bottom of a 14-step staircase. "Quickly, but safely, go up the stairs, turn around on the top step (landing), and come all the way down until both feet land on the bottom step," is the participant's instruction.

The amount of time, measured in seconds, between the "go" signal and the second foot returning to the bottom landing was the TUDS score. Faster times correlated with higher functional proficiency.
immediately after intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

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.

General Publications

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 (Actual)

July 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 30, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

January 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 6, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 6, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

August 9, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 3, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 1, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • IUC_SpA_core

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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