Savoring Meditation for Chronic Low Back Pain patients
Official title: Mechanistic Evaluation of Savoring Meditation Among Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain
Funded at University of Virginia · NIH-11465428 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study tests a brief mindfulness-based practice called Savoring Meditation to help people with chronic low back pain feel better emotionally and manage pain in daily life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Virginia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlottesville, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $705,602 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AT012834-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11465428 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with chronic low back pain who experience affective dysfunction and are willing to participate in daily-life assessments and brain imaging.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without chronic low back pain or those unwilling to engage in daily life tracking or MRI procedures may not benefit.
What this research studies
People with chronic low back pain often struggle with both pain and negative mood. This project tests a short, positive-affect–focused mindfulness approach to see if it changes daily feelings and pain experiences, using real-life daily life assessments and brain measurements during flare-ups. The researchers plan to analyze how specific emotional mechanisms link to pain outcomes and identify brain activity patterns associated with the practice. By understanding these mechanisms, the study aims to enhance treatments that improve both mood and pain for patients with cLBP.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may experience better mood and reduced pain interference in daily activities through a scalable mindfulness-based approach.
How similar studies have gone: Previous psychosocial pain interventions show benefits largely from non-specific factors; this study aims to isolate active ingredients for greater effectiveness.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Finan, Patrick — University of Virginia
- Study coordinator: Finan, Patrick
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Ketamine-assisted care plan to help Veterans with chronic back pain and depression
A program for Veterans with chronic low back pain and depression that uses ketamine infusions followed by a brief narrative therapy to sustain relief from pain and mood improvement.
-
Chronic Low Back Pain in Older Adults and Hip Impairments
A study to help older adults with chronic low back pain, by looking at how hip problems affect their pain and function and testing tailored non-drug treatments.
-
Mechanical signs from the spine’s discs that predict when back pain becomes long-lasting
A Duke study aims to use new imaging and personal factors to see if the mechanical health of spinal discs can predict when acute low back pain becomes chronic.
-
Genetic predictors of recovery and surgical outcomes for Veterans with chronic low back pain and lumbosacral spine disorders
This project uses VA health records and genetic information to find DNA markers linked to how Veterans fare with chronic low back pain and related spine conditions.
-
Personalized multicomponent therapy for chronic low back pain using smart patient-based algorithms
A U-Michigan-led effort tests a personalized approach to chronic low back pain by tailoring several treatments to individual patients using smart, data-driven decision rules.
-
Epigenetic drivers of chronic low back pain
A patient-friendly look at how DNA methylation might influence disc-related back pain and potential new ways to treat it beyond opioids.
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.