Project Details
Description
Rationale
Chronic low back pain is the leading cause of disability globally. Guidelines recommend combined exercise and education as first-line treatment.1 Swimming is anecdotally recommended in clinical practice, and is a common mode of physical exercise. Despite this, no clinical trials have investigated the effectiveness or acceptability of a swimming program for chronic low back pain.2
Research Question
Our research question is ‘what is the effectiveness of an individualised swimming and education intervention versus education alone for managing chronic low back pain’, and ‘how acceptable and feasible is swimming as an intervention for individuals with chronic low back pain.’
Project
We will randomise a total of 74 adults with chronic low back pain, recruited from around Australia. All participants must demonstrate water competency and pass a health screening test.
Participants allocated to the swimming and education program will complete an 8-week individualised swimming program, prescribed by a physiotherapist. Four physiotherapy sessions will be competed over telehealth, and all swimming completed independently at a local swimming pool at no personal cost. The physiotherapist will use health coaching techniques to support the participant to maintain the swimming program. Participants will be encouraged to maintain their swimming schedule beyond the 8 weeks. Both groups will receive education on a modern understanding of low back pain. Participants allocated to the education group will be provided with up to two telehealth education sessions and compensated for the time it takes to complete each survey.
Significance
This is the first trial to assess the effectiveness and acceptability of a physiotherapy-provided swimming program. Results from this study will inform patients and physiotherapists considering swimming as a therapeutic option, identify enablers and barriers to assist with implementation in clinical practice, and further promote physiotherapy as an evidence-based provider of individualised tailored exercise programs for chronic low back pain.
Chronic low back pain is the leading cause of disability globally. Guidelines recommend combined exercise and education as first-line treatment.1 Swimming is anecdotally recommended in clinical practice, and is a common mode of physical exercise. Despite this, no clinical trials have investigated the effectiveness or acceptability of a swimming program for chronic low back pain.2
Research Question
Our research question is ‘what is the effectiveness of an individualised swimming and education intervention versus education alone for managing chronic low back pain’, and ‘how acceptable and feasible is swimming as an intervention for individuals with chronic low back pain.’
Project
We will randomise a total of 74 adults with chronic low back pain, recruited from around Australia. All participants must demonstrate water competency and pass a health screening test.
Participants allocated to the swimming and education program will complete an 8-week individualised swimming program, prescribed by a physiotherapist. Four physiotherapy sessions will be competed over telehealth, and all swimming completed independently at a local swimming pool at no personal cost. The physiotherapist will use health coaching techniques to support the participant to maintain the swimming program. Participants will be encouraged to maintain their swimming schedule beyond the 8 weeks. Both groups will receive education on a modern understanding of low back pain. Participants allocated to the education group will be provided with up to two telehealth education sessions and compensated for the time it takes to complete each survey.
Significance
This is the first trial to assess the effectiveness and acceptability of a physiotherapy-provided swimming program. Results from this study will inform patients and physiotherapists considering swimming as a therapeutic option, identify enablers and barriers to assist with implementation in clinical practice, and further promote physiotherapy as an evidence-based provider of individualised tailored exercise programs for chronic low back pain.
| Status | Finished |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 1/03/24 → 28/02/26 |