Mindful Walking in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Gabriele Rotter, Miriam Ortiz, Sylvia Binting, Juliane Tomzik, Frauke Reese, Stephanie Roll, Benno Brinkhaus, Michael Teut, Gabriele Rotter, Miriam Ortiz, Sylvia Binting, Juliane Tomzik, Frauke Reese, Stephanie Roll, Benno Brinkhaus, Michael Teut

Abstract

Aim: The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a mindful walking program (MWP) in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods: The trial was a two-armed, randomized, controlled single-center open clinical trial. The study was performed in the Outpatient Clinic for Integrative Medicine of the Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The participants were adults aged 18-65 years with CLBP (≥3 months) and an average low back pain within the past 7 days measured on a visual analog scale (VAS, 0 = no pain, 100 = worst imaginable pain) of at least 40 mm. The patients received either eight weekly MWP sessions or no intervention (control). The primary outcome was the perceived pain intensity assessed with a VAS (0-100 mm) after 8 weeks. The secondary outcomes included back function assessed by the Hannover Functional Questionnaire Backache (FFbH-R) and perceived stress assessed by the 14-item Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14). The results were obtained by analysis of covariance adjusted for the respective baseline values. Results: In total, 55 patients were randomized (MWP: n = 29, 82.8% female, mean (±standard deviation) age: 52.5 ± 8.6 years, pain: 56.4 ± 14.1 mm; control: n = 26, 84.6% female, 54.8 ± 7.5 years, pain: 55.4 ± 13.1 mm). After 8 weeks, compared with the control conditions, the MWP was not associated with a statistically significant benefit for pain (VAS), adjusted mean - 9.6 [-22.3 to 3.1], p = 0.136, clinical benefits for back function (FFbH-R), adjusted mean 2.2 [-4.2 to 8.6], p = 0.493, or stress (PSS-14), adjusted mean - 1.6 [-4.8 to 1.6], p = 0.326. Conclusion: In conclusion, compared with no intervention, mindful walking did not significantly improve pain, back function, or perceived stress in patients with CLBP. Clinical Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01893073).

Keywords: complementary medicine; integrative medicine; low back pain; randomized controlled trial.

Conflict of interest statement

No competing financial interests exist.

Figures

FIG. 1.
FIG. 1.
Flow chart. Recruitment, treatment and follow-up of patients.
FIG. 2.
FIG. 2.
Adjusted means and 95% confidence intervals of the last average pain intensity in the last week (VAS) at 8 and 12 weeks with p-values comparing mindful walking with no intervention (lower values indicating less pain). VAS, visual analog scale.

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