Clinical trial NCT06894355: Group Hydrotherapy Treatment for Athletes With Lower Back Pain
Official title: Group Hydrotherapy Treatment for Athletes With Lower Back Pain
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Low Back Pain
Keywords: hydrotherapy, low back pain, group, athlete
Lead sponsor: University of Haifa
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Wingate Institute
First posted: 2025-03-25
Enrollment: 50
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: The interventional group will undergo hydrotherapy treatment in addition to physical therapy treatments The control group will undergo regular physical therapy
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The effect of group hydrotherapy on chronic low back pain and function among athletes will be examined.

Detailed description: Low back pain is a common issue in Western society, especially among athletes who experience significant physical stress. One effective conservative treatment method is hydrotherapy, which involves exercising in water. This approach takes advantage of water's properties, such as buoyancy, weight reduction, and resistance. By using these properties, individuals can perform movements and exercises that may be painful or difficult to do on land.

The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of group hydrotherapy on chronic low back pain and function among athletes.

The study will involve participants with chronic back pain who will complete a 6-week intervention program led by a certified physiotherapist, including hydrotherapy treatment and guidance for independent exercises.

The exercise will include reduced-weight activities at waist-to-neck depth, resistance exercises at varying depths, and the utilization of buoyancy and resistance devices.

The evaluation indicators will be taken before and after the intervention period and will include: a demographic questionnaire, history of back pain and anthropometric details (height, weight), Oswestry questionnaire to assess function following back pain, a visual analog scale to assess the maximum degree of pain during the day, hip range tests, a forward flexion distance test, and a back alignment test. At the end of the intervention, a global rating of scale questionnaire will also be taken to assess the effectiveness of the improvement.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Athletes who complain of low back pain for over 3 months,
* VAS\>3
* train more than 5 times a week.

Exclusion Criteria:

* acute back pain
* neurological signs (decreased muscle strength, decreased reflexes, radiating to the leg).

Primary outcomes:
measure: change in Visual analog scale
timeFrame: base line, up to 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
measure: change in forward flexion distance test
timeFrame: base line, up to 8 weeks
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Netanya
country: Israel
facility: Wingate institue
Study officials:
References:
citation: Peretro G, Ballico AL, Avelar NC, Haupenthal DPDS, Arcencio L, Haupenthal A. Comparison of aquatic physiotherapy and therapeutic exercise in patients with chronic low back pain. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2024 Apr;38:399-405. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2023.10.006. Epub 2024 Jan 16.