Massage, Meditation, and Tai Chi for Chronic Lower Back Pain

This clinical trial is a preliminary study designed to prepare for a full-scale, randomized clinical trial of the effectiveness of tai chi, mediation, and therapeutic massage for chronic lower back pain in adults.

Completed

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Key information

Conditions

Low Back Pain Back Pain Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

20 year–64 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

About this study

Despite the common use of complementary and alternative therapies for back pain, little is known about how such therapies compare with each other or with conventional medical therapies in terms of effectiveness and cost. This study will lay the groundwork for a full-scale trial that will evaluate the relative effectiveness and costs of three promising relaxation-related techniques (massage, tai chi, and meditation) that are appropriate for both younger and older adults with chronic lower back pain. The pilot study will identify and resolve unanticipated problems and estimate the sample sizes required for an adequately-powered, full-scale trial.

Participants with chronic lower back pain will be randomly assigned to one of the following groups: tai chi, massage, meditation, or continued usual care (control group). The participants assigned to each intervention will be divided equally between persons under and over age 65.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Chronic lower back pain

Treatment and study plan

Tai Chi

Behavioral

mindfulness-based stress reduction program

Behavioral

Therapeutic massage

Procedure

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Kaiser Permanente

Other

Collaborators

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Registry information

Official study title

Relaxation-Related CAM Therapies for Chronic Back Pain

Important dates

Study start: 2000
Study completion: 2003
First posted: Oct 13, 2003
Registry last updated: Oct 13, 2017

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed