Exploring how people with back pain move over time

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This observational study follows adults with acute or chronic low back pain to examine how their spinal movement and disability evolve over time. Participants must own a smartphone with motion sensors and be able to communicate in German, French, or English. Data collection will rely on mobile app assessments and motion-tracking measurements to explore multidimensional trajectories of back pain and related factors. The study aims to better understand how physical, psychological, and social factors influence disability and recovery. No intervention is administered; the focus is on observational data to identify patterns.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* have low back pain (rate their LBP with an intensity of \>0 on a 0-10 numerical pain rating scale at enrollment)
* 18 years old or older
* be proficient in German, French, or English
* own a smartphone that is able to run either Android or iOS (iPhone) apps
* own a smartphone that includes accelerometer and gyroscope sensors

Exclusion Criteria:

* diagnosis of a specific LBP etiology (e.g. fracture, tumoral process, radiculopathy with evidence of neurological deficit or cauda equina)
* history of previous spinal fusion surgery, which would influence on motor behavior
* presence of any other medical conditions (pathologies, diseases, comorbidities, injuries, surgeries or painful conditions) that could jeopardize the patients' safety, prevent them from performing the spinal motion measurements safely (e.g., risk of falls due to frailty), or influence spinal motion (e.g., Parkinson's disease, stroke)
* inability to follow procedures
* inability to give consent (e.g. dementia)
* owner of a smartphone, not able to run an Android or iPhone application
* owner of a smartphone without accelerometer and gyroscope sensors

Where it's running

• Bern University of Applied Sciences
  Bern, Switzerland Recruiting

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Stefan Schmid, Prof. Dr.
• Email: stefan.schmid@bfh.ch
• Phone: +41 31 848 37 96

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.