Pain Education and Patient-led Goal Setting in Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain: a Randomised Controlled Trial
The Effect of Pain Education and Patient-led Goal Setting Compared to Guideline-based Written Information on Pain and Disability in Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain: a Randomised Controlled Trial
Neuroscience Research Australia
392 participants
Jun 26, 2025
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effectiveness of two treatments for adults with chronic low back pain. The main question this study seeks to answer is "In adults with chronic low back pain, what is the effectiveness of pain education and patient-led goal setting compared to guideline-based written advice on reducing pain intensity and disability?". A total of 392 participants will be randomised into two groups: 1) pain education and patient-led goal setting or 2) guideline-based written advice. Participants randomised to the pain education and patient-led goal setting group will receive 5 sessions of 45-60 min each over 8 weeks delivered online via telehealth. Participants randomised to written advice group will receive information developed for people with chronic low back pain. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and week 8, 26 and 52.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria5
- Low back pain of at least 3 months duration
- physically inactive (less than or equal to 150min/week moderate intensity physical activity; 75 min/week vigorous activity, or some combination of the two)
- no known contraindication(s) to performing physical activity
- English language proficiency
- access to internet
Exclusion Criteria4
- physically active (more than 150min/week moderate intensity physical activity, 75 min/week vigorous activity, or some combination of the two)
- known contraindication(s) to performing physical activity
- known or suspected serious spinal pathology (fracture, metastatic, inflammatory or infective diseases of the spine, cauda equina syndrome/widespread neurological disorder)
- scheduled for major surgery during the treatment or follow-up period
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Interventions
8 week program delivered via five, up to 1-hour telehealth sessions. The sessions will be scheduled at approximately fortnightly intervals. Participants will also be prescribed approximately 30 minutes of online activities with each session. Pain education will be based on Explain Pain and the curriculum will have specified learning objectives adapted for each individual participant. Participants will access the online education curriculum through Pathwright. For patient-led goal setting, the healthcare practitioner will take an initial history of the participants physical activity behaviours and problems related to their back pain. The participant will prioritise their problems according to impact in their life. Strategies will then be discussed, and the participant will, in collaboration with the healthcare practitioner, set goals and strategies to work on independently between sessions.
Participants will receive guideline-based written information for the management of chronic low back pain. This will include information about the prognosis of low back pain and treatment options to consider.
Locations(1)
View Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov
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NCT06620133