Lifestyle medicine program for older adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain
Life-Style Medicine for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain in Older People: A Pragmatic, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
NA · Chinese University of Hong Kong · NCT07194239
This program will test whether four face-to-face health coaching sessions about lifestyle changes can reduce pain and improve quality of life for older adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Quick facts
| Phase | NA |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 268 (estimated) |
| Ages | 60 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Chinese University of Hong Kong (other) |
| Locations | 1 site (Hong Kong) |
| Trial ID | NCT07194239 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Older adults with persistent musculoskeletal pain are randomly assigned to receive four in-person health-coach sessions that set personalized lifestyle goals or to a waitlist control receiving usual care for 24 weeks. Outcomes include pain intensity and interference, self-management efficacy, stress, sleep quality, diet, overall quality of life, and cost-effectiveness measured at baseline, one month, and three months after the intervention. The waitlist group is offered the same coaching after completing follow-up assessments. The intervention is delivered at a community health center in Shatin and focuses on practical lifestyle changes rather than medications.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain (≥3 months) and a pain score of 4 or higher who have stable physical activity and can understand written and spoken Chinese.
Not a fit: Patients with cancer-related pain, inflammatory rheumatic disease, recent major surgery or stroke, terminal illness, serious mental illness, severe or uncontrolled heart disease, or other conditions that prevent active participation (or who cannot understand Chinese) are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants could experience less pain, improved sleep and self-management, and better overall quality of life without adding new medications.
How similar studies have performed: Similar lifestyle and health-coaching programs have produced modest improvements in pain and function in older adults with osteoarthritis and chronic pain, though results are variable and large definitive trials are limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * chronic musculoskeletal pain, defined as pain that lasted for more than 3 months persistently or intermittently, including regional pain (joints, limbs, back, and/or neck) * a degenerative joint condition, such as osteoarthritis, and/or musculoskeletal complaints that fall under the classification of the International Classification of Disease-11 as "chronic primary musculoskeletal pain" or "chronic secondary musculoskeletal pain" * Pain intensity score ≥ 4 on a numerical rating scale of 10 * stable baseline physical activity * ability to understand written and verbal Chinese Exclusion Criteria: * patient with cancer-related pain * inflammatory rheumatic disease * a recent history of stroke or major surgery in the past 6 months * terminal illness * serious mental illness * severe or uncontrolled heart disease * comorbid conditions that might impede active participation in the study
Where this trial is running
Hong Kong
- 4/F, Lek Yuen Health Center, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong — Hong Kong, Hong Kong (RECRUITING)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Cheryl Fung, Bachelor
- Email: cheryllcfung@cuhk.edu.hk
- Phone: +852 2609 5050
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.
Conditions: Musculoskeletal, Pain Management, Chronic Pain, Musculoskeletal Pain, Musculoskeletal pain, lifestyle medicine, older people, health coaching