Investigating the effect of a physical activity intervention enhanced with health coaching and FitBit on physical activity levels of patients with chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Interventions which include physical activity promotion as the core component for the treatment of patients with chronic low back pain have shown to be effective in reducing pain and disability in these patients. Nevertheless, recent evidences shows that a large proportion of patients with low back pain, as well as in the general population, do not meet recommended levels of physical activity. In the context which comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes, are highly prevalent in those patients with chronic low back pain, interventions able to reduce pain and disability and at the same time are able to increase physical activity levels are considered to be top priorities in primary care. Therefore, the present study is a randomized clinical trial aiming to investigate the short and long-term effect of a physical activity intervention based on active exercise enhanced with health coaching and physical activity monitors on physical activity levels (measured objectively with accelerometers), pain and disability of patients with chronic low back pain compared with a placebo intervention. The secondary outcomes are depression and quality of life. A total of 148 adults with chronic low back pain will be randomly allocated into two groups. Patients allocated to the intervention group will receive a physical activity intervention based on active exercise enhanced with health or physical activity coaching and monitoring/feedback of activity with the activity monitor FitBit for 3 months, while the placebo group will receive sham advice plus sham Fitbit. Blind assessors will evaluate outcomes measures at 3, 6 and 12 months post-randomization. The results of this study will be used to clarify whether a physical activity intervention can reduce pain and disability and, at the same time, is capable of increasing physical activity levels of patients with chronic low back pain. (AU)