Using Non-Weightbearing Stationary Elliptical Machines for Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

There are controversies on whether exercise is more effective than placebo among different clinical studies specifically in acute LBP; however, in CLBP cases, evidence strongly recommends that exercise is more effective than conservative treatment on pain and functional abilities, especially individually designed exercise programs for stabilizing and strengthening. The aims of the present study are:

• to assess the effect of non-weightbearing stationary ellipticals (Cubii, Fitness Cubed Inc.) on clinical outcomes including vital signs, pain, disability, analgesic use, mental health, abdominal muscle strength, and compliance in patients with CLBP
• to assess the effect of placing the patients into an interactive virtual environment during the exercise sessions on the outcomes of the program.

The training sessions will be up to 60 minutes and will include a) introduction to the goals of the session (5 minutes), b) warm-up and stretching (10 minutes), c) low resistance flat road cycling (low resistance, low cadence; 10 minutes), d) flat road cycling (high resistance, low cadence; 10 minutes), e) flat road sprint (low resistance, high cadence; 10 minutes), f) warm-down, whole-body stretching, questions and answers (Q&A; 10-15 minutes) obtained from investigations on the similar topic. The training sessions will be supervised by both an expert clinical researcher with MD degree who is familiar with healthcare principles for these patients and also by a US licensed board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, who is responsible for providing routine orthopaedic care for the patients in this study.

Inclusion criteria

• Adults aged 18 to 70 years and CLBP (>12 wk) located between the costal margins and inferior gluteal folds.

Exclusion criteria

• The presence of a postural abnormality contributing to the diagnosis reported by an expert spine surgeon
• Pain radiating below the knee, past medical history or current symptomatic lumbar disc hernia or fracture based on expert reports (i.e. orthopedic surgeon or radiologist)
• History of back surgery, inflammatory joint disease, severe osteoporosis
• A metabolic disease affecting the CLBP, or neuromuscular disease (as assessed by the American College of Sports Medicine pre-exercise screening tool for cardiovascular risk factors prior to entry into an exercise program)
• Pregnancy
• Ankle and foot injuries inhibiting them from cycling recently (<3 mo.)
• Participation in another exercise program or physiotherapy (i.e., manipulation, mobilization, range of motion, massage).