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Combined and Aquatic Exercise in Chronic Low Back Pain

28 de julho de 2026 atualizado por: Joana Catarina Carvalho Borges, University of Beira Interior

Effects of Combined-exercise and Aquatic-exercise on Pain, Disability and Functional Capacity in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain

The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to evaluate the effects of a combined aquatic- and land-based exercise program, as well as an aquatic-exercise program, compared with a control group receiving home-based exercise, on pain, disability, and functional capacity in adults with CLBP. Secondary objectives include examining the effects on fear of movement, anxiety and depression, quadriceps and hand-grip strength, and lumbar mobility. The main question it aims to answer is: "Which type of exercise program is most effective at improving pain, disability, functional capacity, fear of movement, anxiety and depression, quadriceps and hand-grip strength, and lumbar mobility in adults with chronic low back pain?".

Participants will perform an aquatic-based exercise program (aquatic group), a combined aquatic and land-based exercise program (aquatic and land group), or a land-based exercise program (home group).

Researchers will compare groups to find any differences in pain, disability, functional capacity, kinesiophobia, anxiety and depression, quadriceps and hand-grip strength, and lumbar mobility.

Visão geral do estudo

Tipo de estudo

Intervencional

Inscrição (Estimado)

90

Estágio

  • Não aplicável

Contactos e Locais

Esta seção fornece os detalhes de contato para aqueles que conduzem o estudo e informações sobre onde este estudo está sendo realizado.

Contato de estudo

Locais de estudo

    • Castelo Branco District
      • Covilha, Castelo Branco District, Portugal, 6201-001
        • University of Beira Interior
        • Contato:
        • Investigador principal:
          • Joana Borges, MSc
        • Investigador principal:
          • Henrique Neiva, PhD
        • Investigador principal:
          • Diogo Monteiro, PhD
        • Subinvestigador:
          • Fernanda M. Silva, PhD
        • Subinvestigador:
          • Tiago Pastilha, MSc
        • Investigador principal:
          • Pedro Duarte-Mendes, PhD

Critérios de participação

Os pesquisadores procuram pessoas que se encaixem em uma determinada descrição, chamada de critérios de elegibilidade. Alguns exemplos desses critérios são a condição geral de saúde de uma pessoa ou tratamentos anteriores.

Critérios de elegibilidade

Idades elegíveis para estudo

  • Adulto
  • Adulto mais velho

Aceita Voluntários Saudáveis

Não

Descrição

Inclusion Criteria:

  • all genders;
  • aged over 18 years;
  • Chronic Low Back Pain lasting three months or longer and with an intensity of 3 or higher on the Visual Analogue Scale at rest.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Individuals who refuse to participate or do not provide informed consent;
  • Pain radiating to the lower limb;
  • Recent pregnancy or childbirth (less than 8 weeks ago);
  • Ongoing physical therapy treatments;
  • Severe rheumatological, neurological, neoplastic, cardiovascular diseases or other conditions that could prevent full participation in the intervention;
  • History of spinal surgery;
  • Inflammatory, infectious, or malignant spinal diseases;
  • Psychiatric disorders that may affect adherence and symptom assessment.

Plano de estudo

Esta seção fornece detalhes do plano de estudo, incluindo como o estudo é projetado e o que o estudo está medindo.

Como o estudo é projetado?

Detalhes do projeto

  • Finalidade Principal: Tratamento
  • Alocação: Randomizado
  • Modelo Intervencional: Atribuição Paralela
  • Mascaramento: Dobro

Armas e Intervenções

Grupo de Participantes / Braço
Intervenção / Tratamento
Experimental: Aquatic and Land Group
This arm will include 24 exercise sessions (three non-consecutive sessions per week), conducted over an 8-week period. 16 sessions of the aquatic-exercise program and 8 sessions of the land-based exercise program.

This intervention will consist of an aquatic-exercise program, performed in shallow water (120-150 cm deep) at a temperature of 32-34 °C, and supervised by a physiotherapist with over two years of experience in aquatic-based exercise and Ai Chi method.

The aquatic-exercise sessions, will consist of a 5-minute warm-up phase, a 30-40-minute training phase, and a 10-15-minute relaxation/cool-down phase, adapted from Ai Chi exercise positions. The Ai Chi method consists of 19 katas (movements) that incorporate deep breathing, coordinated upper and lower limb actions, trunk control, and slow, continuous motion. In this study, only 10 of these 19 katas will be included in the aquatic-exercise protocol.

This program will include specific land-based exercises, supervised by a physiotherapist with more than two years of experience in therapeutic exercise. The land-based exercise program, will be divided into three components: core stability exercises (15-20 minutes), trunk and lower limb stretching exercises (10-15 minutes), and relaxation/coordination exercises adapted from the Ai Chi method (10-15 minutes).
Experimental: Aquatic Group
This arm will comprise 24 sessions of the aquatic-exercise program (three non-consecutive sessions per week), conducted over an 8-week period.

This intervention will consist of an aquatic-exercise program, performed in shallow water (120-150 cm deep) at a temperature of 32-34 °C, and supervised by a physiotherapist with over two years of experience in aquatic-based exercise and Ai Chi method.

The aquatic-exercise sessions, will consist of a 5-minute warm-up phase, a 30-40-minute training phase, and a 10-15-minute relaxation/cool-down phase, adapted from Ai Chi exercise positions. The Ai Chi method consists of 19 katas (movements) that incorporate deep breathing, coordinated upper and lower limb actions, trunk control, and slow, continuous motion. In this study, only 10 of these 19 katas will be included in the aquatic-exercise protocol.

Comparador Ativo: Home Group
This arm will include 24 sessions of the home-based exercise program (three non-consecutive sessions per week) over an 8-week period.
This exercise program will consist of a home-based exercise program. Each session will last 20-30 minutes and will be performed individually at home without professional supervision. The home-based exercise program will include core stability exercises that progress from the supine to the quadruped position. It will mirror the land-based exercise program and is adapted from a previous unsupervised home-based protocol.

O que o estudo está medindo?

Medidas de resultados primários

Medida de resultado
Descrição da medida
Prazo
Visual Analogue Scale
Prazo: One measurement will be assessed at baseline and one at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Pain intensity will be assessed with the Visual Analogue Scale (Minimum: 0; Maximum 10). Higher values correspond to worse outcome.
One measurement will be assessed at baseline and one at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Oswestry Disability Index - version 2.0
Prazo: One measurement will be assessed at baseline and one at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Disability due to low back pain will be assessed with the Oswestry Disability Index (Minimum: 0; Maximum 100). Higher values correspond to worse outcome.
One measurement will be assessed at baseline and one at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Short Physical Performance Battery
Prazo: One measurement will be assessed at baseline and one at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Lower-limb functional capacity (balance, gait speed, chair stands) will be assessed with the Short Physical Performance Battery, a simple tool that includes the four-meter gait speed test, the five-repetition sit-to-stand test and a balance test, and gives a total score based on the performance in each of those tests. Each component is scored (0-4), yielding a composite score (0-12), with higher scores indicating better performance.
One measurement will be assessed at baseline and one at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).

Medidas de resultados secundários

Medida de resultado
Descrição da medida
Prazo
Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia-13
Prazo: One measurement will be assessed at baseline and one at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Fear of movement will be assessed with the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia-13 (Minimum: 13; Maximum 52). Higher values correspond to worse outcome.
One measurement will be assessed at baseline and one at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
Prazo: One measurement will be assessed at baseline and one at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Anxiety and depression will be assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Minimum: 0; Maximum 21). Higher values correspond to worse outcome.
One measurement will be assessed at baseline and one at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Fixed Handheld Dynamometry for Assessing Quadriceps Strength
Prazo: Three measurements will be assessed at baseline and three at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Quadriceps muscle (both sides) maximum voluntary isometric contraction will be assessed with Fixed Handheld Dynamometry with participants seated and the knee positioned at approximately 90° of flexion.
Three measurements will be assessed at baseline and three at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Hand-Grip Dynamometry
Prazo: Three measurements will be assessed at baseline and three at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Maximum isometric strength of the hand and forearm muscles (both sides) will be assessed with Hand-Grip Dynamometry with participants seated with the elbow flexed at 90° and the forearm in a neutral position.
Three measurements will be assessed at baseline and three at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Modified-Modified Schober Test
Prazo: Three measurements will be assessed at baseline and three at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).
Lumbar spine range of motion will be assessed with the Modified-Modified Schober Test.
Three measurements will be assessed at baseline and three at each follow-up (8 and 12 weeks).

Colaboradores e Investigadores

É aqui que você encontrará pessoas e organizações envolvidas com este estudo.

Investigadores

  • Diretor de estudo: Diogo Monteiro, PhD, Instituto Politécnico de Leiria
  • Diretor de estudo: Pedro Duarte-Mendes, PhD, Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco
  • Diretor de estudo: Henrique Neiva, PhD, University of Beira Interior

Datas de registro do estudo

Essas datas acompanham o progresso do registro do estudo e os envios de resumo dos resultados para ClinicalTrials.gov. Os registros do estudo e os resultados relatados são revisados ​​pela National Library of Medicine (NLM) para garantir que atendam aos padrões específicos de controle de qualidade antes de serem publicados no site público.

Datas Principais do Estudo

Início do estudo (Estimado)

1 de setembro de 2026

Conclusão Primária (Estimado)

1 de fevereiro de 2027

Conclusão do estudo (Estimado)

1 de maio de 2027

Datas de inscrição no estudo

Enviado pela primeira vez

23 de julho de 2026

Enviado pela primeira vez que atendeu aos critérios de CQ

23 de julho de 2026

Primeira postagem (Real)

29 de julho de 2026

Atualizações de registro de estudo

Última Atualização Postada (Real)

30 de julho de 2026

Última atualização enviada que atendeu aos critérios de controle de qualidade

28 de julho de 2026

Última verificação

1 de julho de 2026

Mais Informações

Termos relacionados a este estudo

Plano para dados de participantes individuais (IPD)

Planeja compartilhar dados de participantes individuais (IPD)?

NÃO

Informações sobre medicamentos e dispositivos, documentos de estudo

Estuda um medicamento regulamentado pela FDA dos EUA

Não

Estuda um produto de dispositivo regulamentado pela FDA dos EUA

Não

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