Emergency department physical therapy for low back pain
Official title: A Multi-Site Feasibility Trial of Embedded Emergency Department Physical Therapy for Back Pain
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11170393 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Seeing if having a physical therapist work inside the emergency room helps people with sudden low back pain recover faster and use fewer opioids.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $497,367 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AT012367-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11170393 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who present to a participating emergency department with acute low back pain are the most likely candidates for this project.
✕Less likely to help
People with chronic long-standing back pain without a recent ED visit, back pain from major trauma or known serious disease, or those not seen at participating EDs are unlikely to benefit from this specific trial.
What this research studies
If you come to a participating emergency department with acute low back pain, a dedicated physical therapist on the ED team would examine you and provide early movement-based care, education, and a plan to manage pain. The project runs across several hospitals to test whether this embedded PT approach can be delivered reliably in different ED settings. Researchers will follow your pain, function, and opioid use for weeks to months after the visit and compare those outcomes with usual ED care. The team will also track how well the approach fits into routine emergency care and whether it reduces later opioid prescriptions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to faster recovery, better function, and fewer opioid prescriptions after emergency visits for low back pain.
How similar studies have gone: Early outpatient physical therapy has shown benefit in randomized trials, and this ED-embedded approach was pilot-tested previously but has not yet been proven in a multi-site trial.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Howard S — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Kim, Howard S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving back-pain care in rural areas with tele-physical therapy
This project tests a tele-rehabilitation program to help adults with chronic low back pain in rural communities access physical therapy and reduce opioid use.
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Embedded ED Physical Therapy for Back Pain in the Emergency Department
A dedicated physical therapist works with ED teams to help adults with back pain feel better sooner and reduce opioid use.
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Psilocybin for Chronic Back Pain: Brain Signals and Real-World Therapy Outcomes
A patient-facing study will test whether a carefully controlled psilocybin treatment can improve body awareness and enhance physical therapy outcomes for people with chronic low back pain.
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Remote physical therapy to ease chronic low back pain and cut opioid use in rural communities
This project offers remote physical therapy to people with long-term low back pain in rural areas to help them move better and depend less on opioid pain medicines.
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Improving access to physical therapy for chronic low back pain in rural areas using telehealth.
This study is looking to make physical therapy easier for people with chronic low back pain living in rural areas by using online sessions, so you can get the help you need without worrying about travel or finding a therapist nearby.
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Using physical therapy in emergency departments to treat acute low back pain
This study is looking at how adding physical therapy right in the emergency room can help people with sudden low back pain feel better and move easier, while also reducing the need for pain medications and unnecessary scans.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.