Using an Interactive Game to Reduce Fear and Increase Spine Motion in Low Back Pain

Low Back Pain Clinical Trial

Official title: Using an Interactive Game to Reduce Fear & Increase Spine Motion in Low Back Pain

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

A fundamental clinical problem in individuals with chronic low back pain is the significant alteration in movement patterns that restrict lumbar spine motion. This is particularly true for individuals with fear of re-injury with movement (i.e., kinesiophobia). The primary aims of the current study are to use a whole body video game environment to 1) determine the effects of game play on lumbar spine flexion and expectations of pain and harm and 2) determine the effects of altered movement gain on lumbar spine flexion.

Clinical Trial Description

Using a 2 groups (Game, Control) between subjects design, the investigators will assess the influence of participation in a computer game of virtual dodge ball that requires whole-body reaching movements to manipulate an on-screen avatar. Further, the investigators will gradually reduce the gain of lumbar spine motion of the participant's on-screen avatar across the three game sessions such that participants will need to produce progressively larger excursions of the lumbar spine to manipulate their avatar's spinal motion. Specifically, in game session 1, the spine motion of the avatar is equal to that of the participant (gain=1); in session 2 spine motion of the avatar is 5% less than the participant (gain=0.95); in session 3 spine motion of the avatar is 10% less than the participant (gain=0.90). The investigators will recruit participants with chronic low back pain and kinesiophobia. Participants in the GAME condition will complete laboratory sessions on five consecutive days. Session 1 (baseline) and Session 5 (post-test) will be used to assess lumbar spine motion and expectations of pain and harm during standardized reaching tasks. In sessions 2 through 4 they will play the virtual dodge ball game. Participants in the CONTROL condition will complete baseline and post-test standardized reaching tasks, but will not play the game in the intervening three days. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Investigator), Primary Purpose: Basic Science

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Back Pain
• Low Back Pain

• NCT number: NCT02301741
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Ohio University
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 2015
• Completion date: April 2016