Promoting Pain Self-Management for chronic musculoskeletal pain in the military
Official title: The PROmoting Pain Self-Management (PROs) Trial: Holistic Pain Care in the Military Health System
Run by Brooke Army Medical Center · NCT06940986 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests two holistic, non-drug pain care approaches to see if they help adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain within the Military Health System.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 608 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Brooke Army Medical Center Federal |
| Locations | 5 sites (Fairbanks, Alaska and 4 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | December 19, 2025 |
| Main results expected | July 1, 2027 |
| Study ends | July 1, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | May 26, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06940986 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults 18 and older with chronic musculoskeletal pain who have had two or more relevant medical encounters in the past year and at least 90 days apart for the same MSK condition.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients already receiving intensive multidisciplinary or behavioral pain management beyond the initial stepped care model may be less likely to benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This pragmatic, individually randomized trial compares two evidence-based holistic pain care interventions—Empowered Relief and Move to Health—against usual care for adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain in the Military Health System. The study aims to identify which approach best supports self-management and improves pain-related outcomes within a stepped-care framework. Electronic health records and primary-care–based delivery are leveraged to facilitate scalable, real-world implementation. The trial addresses how to operationalize holistic pain care and optimize care delivery across multiple military locations. Enrollment targets adults receiving TRICARE benefits who meet chronic MSK pain criteria and are not exposed to exclusionary treatments or high-risk conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may experience reduced pain, improved function, and better access to holistic, non-pharmacologic care within the military health system.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies in holistic and self-management approaches have shown promise in chronic pain, but this exact stepped-care, EHR-integrated, military-health-system pragmatic design is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 or older * TRICARE Beneficiary * Meets the case definition of chronic MSK pain requiring 2 or more medical encounters within the past year and at least 90 days apart for the same MSK condition indicated by medical encounter data or MSK pain ICD-10 codes in the electronic medical record Exclusion Criteria: * Actively receiving cancer treatment * Currently known to be pregnant * Receiving advanced chronic pain management, including multi-disciplinary or behavioral pain management or mental health or substance use programs (beyond the initial step of the VA/DoD stepped care model for pain management) * Suicidal Ideation determined by a higher than lower risk score on the P4 Screener * Currently undergoing post-surgical rehabilitation
Where it's running
-
Desmond Doss Health Clinic
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, United States Recruiting -
Brooke Army Medical Center
San Antonio, Texas, United States Recruiting -
Bassett Army Community Hospital
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Not yet recruiting -
Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center
San Antonio, Texas, United States Not yet recruiting -
Madigan Army Medical Center
Tacoma, Washington, United States Not yet recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Julie M Fritz, PhD — University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Tina Greenlee, PhD
- Email: tina.a.greenlee.ctr@health.mil
- Phone: 210-808-2575
Similar studies
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.