Acceptance and Commitment Therapy plus exercise for older adults with chronic low-back pain
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Plus Exercise for Older People With Chronic Low-back Pain: A Pragmatic Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial
This trial will test whether combining Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with exercise and back-care education helps people aged 60 and over manage chronic low-back pain.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 100 (estimated) |
| Ages | 60 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Hong Kong) |
| Trial ID | NCT07211464 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial delivers an ACT-based program combined with exercise and back-care education to older adults with chronic low-back pain at multiple community centres in Hong Kong. Community centres are randomized to provide the ACT-plus-exercise program or usual care/back-care education, with outcomes measured immediately after treatment and at 3 and 6 months. Primary outcomes include low-back-pain–related disability and health-related quality of life, with secondary outcomes of pain intensity and psychological flexibility. The study will also perform mediation analyses to examine whether changes in psychological flexibility explain improvements in disability and quality of life.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are community-dwelling adults aged 60 or older with non-specific chronic low-back pain for at least 3 months, average pain ≥4/10, basic Chinese proficiency, MMSE ≥23, and who have sought healthcare for their back pain in the past year.
Not a fit: Patients with malignant back pain, lumbar spinal stenosis, confirmed dementia or MMSE <23, severe psychiatric disorders, inability to attend in-person sessions, or insufficient Chinese language proficiency are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help older adults better self-manage chronic low-back pain, reducing disability and improving quality of life.
How similar studies have performed: Small pilot studies and research of ACT for chronic pain have shown promising results, but large pragmatic cluster randomized trials specifically in older adults are limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * aged 60 or above * have had non-specific LBP in or near the lumbosacral spine, with or without leg pain, that lasts for at least 3 months in the last 12 months * Average pain intensity (in the past week) ≥ 4 on a scale of 0 to 10 * must have sought some healthcare professional treatments for CLBP in the last 12 months * have an adequate level of proficiency in Chinese * Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) scores: 23 or above Exclusion Criteria: * People with malignant pain or lumbar spinal stenosis, confirmed dementia, severe cognitive impairment, or serious psychiatric or psychological disorders that may hinder their study participation will be excluded * Individuals with Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) scores below 23
Where this trial is running
Hong Kong
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Hong Kong, Hong Kong (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Dr Arnold Wong Yu Lok
- Email: arnold.wong@polyu.edu.hk
- Phone: (852) 2766 6741
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.