Acute Effects of High Intensity Training on Pain Processing and Inflammation in Chronic Low Back Pain.
CompletedNot applicableNCT04902196
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This study has no listed site in Canada in this snapshot. It is included as part of the worldwide chronic pain corpus.
Brief summary (from the registry)
A multitude of exercise therapy modalities are effective in improving daily physical function and relieving pain in various forms of chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) such as chronic neck pain, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and chronic low back pain. However, the inital pain response to physical exercise can be variable in populations with CMP. Indeed, some studies show no change or even brief exacerbations in pain in individuals with CMP in response to exercise. These pain flare-ups in chronic pain populations are believed to be associated with increased pain sensitivity after exercise. The magnitude of "exercise-induced hypoalgesia" or the EIH response (i.e., the short-term endogenous pain-suppressing response after exercise) is believed to depend on several training factors, including exercise intensity. Currently, there is limited understanding of the optimal intensity of exercise for producing hypoalgesic effects on different types of pain stimuli. Nevertheless, several indications have been found for a dose-response effect in exercise and the amount of EIH that can be expected. However, very few studies have specifically examined EIH in people with chronic low back pain, although exercise is recommended in national and international guidelines as a basic treatment for the treatment of this condition. Relevant studies have also shown that exercise can induce an extensive inflammatory response in CMP, which may contribute to the disrupted EIH production. In addition, it is stated that this inflammatory response in CMP is also influenced by psychosocial factors. Therefore, the aim of the current cross-sectional cohort study is to expand the knowledge of the pain processing and inflammatory response to acute physical exertion in persons with chronic low back pain through evaluation responses of persons with this disorder to a high intensity training protocol. It is also investigated whether their EIH response is dependent on psychosocial factors.
Study details
- Official title
- Acute Effects of a High Intensity Training Protocol on Pain Processing and Inflammatory Parameters in Persons With Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain.
- Conditions
- Interventions
- Other: high intensity cardiorespiratory exercise protocol
- Other: moderate intensity cardiorespiratory exercise protocol
- Sponsor
- Hasselt University
- Collaborators
- Jessa Hospital
- Start date
- 2021-02-24
- Primary completion
- 2022-12-31
- Sex
- All
- Age range
- from 18 Years to 65 Years
- Healthy volunteers
- true
- Results posted
- No results posted in this snapshot
- Countries
- Belgium
- Total sites listed
- 1
Eligibility criteria
Show eligibility criteria (verbatim from the registry)
Inclusion criteria for group 1 (persons with chronic low back pain) * Primary complaint: non-specific chronic low back pain. * Low back pain is defined as pain in the area between the lower ribs and the upper buttock crease, with or without radiation in the leg * Chronic: current episode \> 12 weeks, mean pain intensity between 3-8/10 * Non-specific: the main pain cannot be traced back to a known pathology * Age: 18-65 years * Acute pain intensity at the time of testing between 3-8/10 (i.e. a pain intensity within this range is necessary to obtain a correct estimate of the pain response) * Understanding of the Dutch language (written and spoken) Inclusion criteria for group 2 (healthy persons) * No acute or chronic musculoskeletal complaints (i.e. VAS\> 2/10 in the last 24 hours) * Age: 18-65 years * Understanding of the Dutch language (written and spoken) Exclusion criteria for both group 1 and 2 * Invasive spinal surgery within the last 18 months (arthrodesis will always be excluded, microsurgery is allowed) * Radiculopathy (uni- or bilateral) of the lower extremities * Comorbidities: paresis and sensory disturbances with a neurological cause in the lower extremities, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune disorders etc. * Pregnancy * Ongoing compensation complaints and/or incapacity for work \> 6 months * Previous active rehabilitation (i.e. exercise therapy) for low back pain in the last 6 months.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov (US National Library of Medicine), snapshot October 2026. Check the registry for current recruiting status. Record: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04902196