Using an Interactive Game to Reduce Fear and Increase Spine Motion in Low Back Pain
Condition: Low Back Pain
MeSH terms: Back Pain; Low Back Pain
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      A fundamental clinical problem in individuals with chronic low back pain is the significant
      alteration in movement patterns that restrict lumbar spine motion. This is particularly true
      for individuals with fear of re-injury with movement (i.e., kinesiophobia). The primary aims
      of the current study are to use a whole body video game environment to 1) determine the
      effects of game play on lumbar spine flexion and expectations of pain and harm and 2)
      determine the effects of altered movement gain on lumbar spine flexion.
    

Detailed description: 
      Using a 2 groups (Game, Control) between subjects design, the investigators will assess the
      influence of participation in a computer game of virtual dodge ball that requires whole-body
      reaching movements to manipulate an on-screen avatar. Further, the investigators will
      gradually reduce the gain of lumbar spine motion of the participant's on-screen avatar across
      the three game sessions such that participants will need to produce progressively larger
      excursions of the lumbar spine to manipulate their avatar's spinal motion. Specifically, in
      game session 1, the spine motion of the avatar is equal to that of the participant (gain=1);
      in session 2 spine motion of the avatar is 5% less than the participant (gain=0.95); in
      session 3 spine motion of the avatar is 10% less than the participant (gain=0.90). The
      investigators will recruit participants with chronic low back pain and kinesiophobia.
      Participants in the GAME condition will complete laboratory sessions on five consecutive
      days. Session 1 (baseline) and Session 5 (post-test) will be used to assess lumbar spine
      motion and expectations of pain and harm during standardized reaching tasks. In sessions 2
      through 4 they will play the virtual dodge ball game. Participants in the CONTROL condition
      will complete baseline and post-test standardized reaching tasks, but will not play the game
      in the intervening three days.
    

Intervention name(s): Game
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): We will assess the influence of participation in a computer game of virtual dodge ball that requires whole-body reaching movements to manipulate an on-screen avatar. We will gradually reduce the gain of lumbar spine motion of the participant's on-screen avatar across the three game sessions such that participants will need to produce progressively larger excursions of the lumbar spine to manipulate their avatar's spinal motion. Specifically, in game session 1, the spine motion of the avatar is equal to that of the participant (gain=1); in session 2 spine motion of the avatar is 5% less than the participant (gain=0.95); in session 3 spine motion of the avatar is 10% less than the participant (gain=0.90).
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Investigator)
Primary purpose: Basic Science
Keywords: chronic low back pain