Exercise for Low Back Pain in Children

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study aimed to determine the efficacy of an eight-week specific exercise programme in reducing self-reported episodes and intensity of LBP, as well as modifying some of the identified risk factors for LBP, in children.

Official Title
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School-Based Specific Exercise Programme Reduces the Prevalence and Intensity of Low Back Pain in 12-13 Year Old Children: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Conditions
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Low Back Pain

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: exercise programme


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Children aged 12-13 years Complained of LBP in the past three months Exclusion Criteria: Serious spinal pathologies or deformities (e.g. severe scoliosis, spinal tumours) Neurological conditions which alter motor tone Physical disabilities (e.g. spinal cord injuries) which prevent the child from being able to stand up on their own without an orthotic device or brace, or which prevent the child from taking part in normal physical education (PE) classes Any other serious co-morbidities (e.g. cancer, severe lung pathology) Provincial sports participants, or children who were currently following a specific training programme with a biokineticist or physiotherapist Current orthopaedic procedures or fractures of the spine, pelvis, lower or upper limbs

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 12 Years
Maximum Age: 13 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: 1. Experimental Group<br>Exercise Intervention Group | Other: exercise programme<br>* Specific low back pain exercise programme for children<br>|
| No Intervention: 2. Control Group<br>Control group - no intervention | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Low Back Pain Prevalence | All of the children complained of low back pain at baseline. Low back pain prevalence post-intervention was determined by the number of children still complaining of low back pain post-intervention. | 3 months post-intervention | 
| Low Back Pain Intensity | The visual analogue scale (standardised 100mm, non-hatched line) was used to determine pain intensity. Scores can range between 0 and 10, with the worst possible pain/score = 10 and no pain/best score = 0. Visual analogue scale is continuous. | 3 months post-intervention | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Neural Mobility | Straight leg raise test was used to measure neural mobility. The amount of hip flexion (angle between the plinth and femur of the raised leg) was measured using a digital inclinometer. Scores ranged between 3 (worst score) and 90.5 (best score). Continuous data. | 3 months post-intervention | 
| Hamstring Flexibility | Standardised hamstring muscle length test. The child was positioned in supine, with the hip flexed at 90 degrees. The knee was then extended passively. The angle of knee extension [from horizontal plane (level to plinth) to fibula] was measured using a digital inclinometer. Continuous data. Scores ranged from -20 (worst score) to 82 (best score). | 3 months post-intervention | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Randomised controlled trial, low back pain, exercise, children, school-based, prevalence, intensity