Chronic Low Back PainStandBackNCT02624687
Reducing Sedentary Behavior to Decrease Low Back Pain: Stand Back Study
A study testing Intervention in people with Chronic Low Back Pain, run by University of Pittsburgh at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study will test the effects of a sedentary behavior intervention on low back pain in working adults. The behavioral intervention will include the use of a sit-stand desk and a wrist-worn activity prompter that will notify participants when they have been sedentary for too long. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Chronic Low Back Pain
- What is being tested?
- Intervention
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 27 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Oct 2015to Dec 2016
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Have chronic low back pain defined as a back pain problem that has persisted at least 3 months and has resulted in pain on at least half the days in the past 6 months
- Oswestry low back pain index >20% to ensure a moderate level of disability is present, thus minimizing a potential floor effect
- Currently perform deskwork at least 20 hours per week at a desk compatible with the sit-stand attachment
- Stable employment (at least 3 months at current job and plan to stay at current job for the next 6 months)
- Ability to obtain approval to install sit-stand workstation (i.e., from supervisor)
- Access to internet connection and email to complete assessment surveys
Who cannot join
- Unable to provide informed consent
- Cardiovascular event in the last 6 months (e.g. heart attack, stoke, heart failure, revascularization procedure)
- Presence of a comorbid condition that would limit ability to reduce sedentary behavior (e.g. currently undergoing treatment for cancer)
- Back surgery in the past 3 months or planned in the next year
- Presence of a medical "red flag" for a serious spinal condition (cancer, compression fracture, signs or symptoms of root compression, infection)
- Inability to tolerate standing for any reason
Show all 9Show fewer
- Currently using a sit-stand desk, standing desk, or wearable activity monitor
- Currently pregnant or planned pregnancy in the next 6 months
- Blood pressure >159/100 mmHg
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of Pittsburgh, Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15261
About this study
This study will test the effects of a sedentary behavior intervention on low back pain in working adults. The behavioral intervention will include the use of a sit-stand desk and a wrist-worn activity prompter that will notify participants when they have been sedentary for too long.
Read the detailed description
Low back pain (LBP) is prevalent, debilitating and costly. Though exercise is a recommended treatment for LBP, outcomes are variable and adherence is often poor due to barriers such as time, sedentary jobs, and fear-avoidance of movement. Thus, the management of LBP must include a biobehavioral lifestyle treatment approach. Preliminary evidence suggests that prolonged sitting at work can exacerbate LBP, LBP is relieved shortly after prolonged sitting ends, and standing more at work can relieve pain. Thus, this proposal will examine an innovative intervention to decrease pain in patients with chronic LBP (cLBP) through a reduction in sedentary behavior. The target population will be University of Pittsburgh (UPitt) employees with cLBP who are inactive and sit at their desk for ≥20 hours/week. Over 6 months, individuals will be provided with a workstation that allows for standing while performing work duties, a wrist-worn activity device that vibrates after prolonged sedentariness, and a behavioral intervention including an initial orientation and monthly follow-up telephone contacts. This is a novel pain reduction approach that is easily incorporated into the workplace and targets a timeframe during which prolonged sitting is common. A unique aspect of the approach is that individuals with cLBP who avoid movement due to pain may especially benefit from this emerging strategy of more frequent, lifestyle activity facilitated by newly-available devices. The investigators hypothesize that this intervention will reduce pain intensity thereby leading to increased work productivity, decreased healthcare utilization, improved health-related quality of life, and improved physical function in LBP sufferers. If effective, this scalable intervention could be implemented broadly to enhance employee health.
- Conditions
- Chronic Low Back Pain
- Being tested
- Intervention, No intervention
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
InterventionBehavioural
Participants participated in monthly, individual counselling with a trained interventionist to decrease sedentary behavior and improve pain self-management. Participants were provided with a sit-stand desk attachment and a wrist worn activity prompter..
No interventionOther
No contact control
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Active comparator | These subjects will participate in a behavioral intervention that will focus on reducing sedentary behavior and improving self-management of pain. This will include an initial, in-person behavioral intervention and then monthly follow-up calls. In addition, subjects will receive a sit-stand desk attachment and a wrist-worn activity prompter to aid in sedentary behavior reduction. Receives: Behavioral: Intervention |
| Control | Placebo comparator | These subjects will receive no intervention. Receives: Other: No intervention |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Low Back Pain Disability
Oswestry Disability Index. This measurements is reported as a % (range 1-100%) where a higher score indicates worse low back pain disability.
Measured: 6 months
Usual Low Back Pain
Pain rated by Visual Analog Scale (Usual Back Pain). This score ranges from 1-10 where a higher score indicates worse pain.
Measured: 6 months
Secondary outcomes (10)
Quality of Life (Self-reported)
36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36). This validated survey collects information on quality of life, with scores ranging from 0-100, and where higher scores indicate higher quality of life.The General Health Score is reported.
Measured: 6 months
Mood
Profile of Mood States Questionnaire. Total mood disturbance score reported here. Higher scores indicate higher mood disturbance (range 0-200 points).
Measured: 6 months
50-ft Walk Test
Time to complete 50 ft. walk test (seconds) at usual pace. Lower time indicates better function.
Measured: 6 months
Chair Stand Test
Time to complete 5 sit-to-stand transitions (seconds). Lower time indicates better function.
Measured: 6 months
Timed up and go Test
Timed up and go test (seconds). A lower time indicates better function.
Measured: 6 months
Unloaded Reach Test
Distance on an unloaded reach test (cm). Greater distance indicates better function.
Measured: 6 months
Presenteeism
Stanford Presenteeism Scale. A higher score indicates higher presenteeism (range 6-30 points).
Measured: 6 months
Work Productivity
Health and Work Questionnaire. Higher total score indicates better work productivity (range 0-240 points).
Measured: 6 months
Physical Activity
Minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity by self-report
Measured: 6 months
Sedentary Behavior
Self-reported hours per day
Measured: 6 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted8 Dec 2015 (estimated)
- Study startOct 2015
- Primary completionDec 2016
- Study completionDec 2016
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Chronic Low Back PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of PittsburghThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 27 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Pittsburgh
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Bethany Barone Gibbs, University of Pittsburgh
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02624687
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- PRO15060576
- Acronym
- StandBack
- Status last verified
- Feb 2019
- First submitted
- 13 Oct 2015
- Last updated
- 13 Mar 2019
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Publications
Barone Gibbs B, Hergenroeder AL, Perdomo SJ, Kowalsky RJ, Delitto A, Jakicic JM. Reducing sedentary behaviour to decrease chronic low back pain: the stand back randomised trial. Occup Environ Med. 2018 May;75(5):321-327. doi: 10.1136/oemed-2017-104732. Epub 2018 Jan 12.
PubMed 29330230
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Mar 2019. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Reducing Sedentary Behavior to Decrease Low Back Pain: Stand Back Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02624687
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- StandBack / PRO15060576
- Conditions
- Chronic Low Back Pain
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 27 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of PittsburghUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Oct 2015 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2016 (actual)
- Study completion
- Dec 2016 (actual)
- First posted
- 8 Dec 2015 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 19 Feb 2019
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study will test the effects of a sedentary behavior intervention on low back pain in working adults. The behavioral intervention will include the use of a sit-stand desk and a wrist-worn activity prompter that will notify participants when they have been sedentary for too long.
Detailed description
Low back pain (LBP) is prevalent, debilitating and costly. Though exercise is a recommended treatment for LBP, outcomes are variable and adherence is often poor due to barriers such as time, sedentary jobs, and fear-avoidance of movement. Thus, the management of LBP must include a biobehavioral lifestyle treatment approach. Preliminary evidence suggests that prolonged sitting at work can exacerbate LBP, LBP is relieved shortly after prolonged sitting ends, and standing more at work can relieve pain. Thus, this proposal will examine an innovative intervention to decrease pain in patients with chronic LBP (cLBP) through a reduction in sedentary behavior. The target population will be University of Pittsburgh (UPitt) employees with cLBP who are inactive and sit at their desk for ≥20 hours/week. Over 6 months, individuals will be provided with a workstation that allows for standing while performing work duties, a wrist-worn activity device that vibrates after prolonged sedentariness, and a behavioral intervention including an initial orientation and monthly follow-up telephone contacts. This is a novel pain reduction approach that is easily incorporated into the workplace and targets a timeframe during which prolonged sitting is common. A unique aspect of the approach is that individuals with cLBP who avoid movement due to pain may especially benefit from this emerging strategy of more frequent, lifestyle activity facilitated by newly-available devices. The investigators hypothesize that this intervention will reduce pain intensity thereby leading to increased work productivity, decreased healthcare utilization, improved health-related quality of life, and improved physical function in LBP sufferers. If effective, this scalable intervention could be implemented broadly to enhance employee health.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Active comparator | Behavioral: InterventionThese subjects will participate in a behavioral intervention that will focus on reducing sedentary behavior and improving self-management of pain. This will include an initial, in-person behavioral intervention and then monthly follow-up calls. In addition, subjects will receive a sit-stand desk attachment and a wrist-worn activity prompter to aid in sedentary behavior reduction. |
| Control | Placebo comparator | Other: No interventionThese subjects will receive no intervention. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Have chronic low back pain defined as a back pain problem that has persisted at least 3 months and has resulted in pain on at least half the days in the past 6 months
- Oswestry low back pain index >20% to ensure a moderate level of disability is present, thus minimizing a potential floor effect
- Currently perform deskwork at least 20 hours per week at a desk compatible with the sit-stand attachment
- Stable employment (at least 3 months at current job and plan to stay at current job for the next 6 months)
- Ability to obtain approval to install sit-stand workstation (i.e., from supervisor)
Key exclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Unable to provide informed consent
- Cardiovascular event in the last 6 months (e.g. heart attack, stoke, heart failure, revascularization procedure)
- Presence of a comorbid condition that would limit ability to reduce sedentary behavior (e.g. currently undergoing treatment for cancer)
- Back surgery in the past 3 months or planned in the next year
- Presence of a medical "red flag" for a serious spinal condition (cancer, compression fracture, signs or symptoms of root compression, infection)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| InterventionParticipants participated in monthly, individual counselling with a trained interventionist to decrease sedentary behavior and improve pain self-management. Participants were provided with a sit-stand desk attachment and a wrist worn activity prompter.. | Behavioural | Intervention |
| No interventionNo contact control | Other | Control |
Primary outcome
Low Back Pain Disability
Time frame: 6 months
Oswestry Disability Index. This measurements is reported as a % (range 1-100%) where a higher score indicates worse low back pain disability.
Usual Low Back Pain
Time frame: 6 months
Pain rated by Visual Analog Scale (Usual Back Pain). This score ranges from 1-10 where a higher score indicates worse pain.
10 secondary outcomes
Quality of Life (Self-reported)
Time frame: 6 months
Mood
Time frame: 6 months
50-ft Walk Test
Time frame: 6 months
Chair Stand Test
Time frame: 6 months
Timed up and go Test
Time frame: 6 months
Unloaded Reach Test
Time frame: 6 months
Presenteeism
Time frame: 6 months
Work Productivity
Time frame: 6 months
Physical Activity
Time frame: 6 months
Sedentary Behavior
Time frame: 6 months
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Mar 2019.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 29330230Barone Gibbs B, Hergenroeder AL, Perdomo SJ, Kowalsky RJ, Delitto A, Jakicic JM. Reducing sedentary behaviour to decrease chronic low back pain: the stand back randomised trial. Occup Environ Med. 2018 May;75(5):321-327. doi: 10.1136/oemed-2017-104732. Epub 2018 Jan 12.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Intervention in people with Chronic Low Back Pain, run by University of Pittsburgh at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 9 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Mar 2019. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 19 Feb 2019). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Low Back Pain Disability (time frame: 6 months). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02624687, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Mar 2019; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 28 Oct 2026.