Prevention of Low Back Pain in the Military (POLM)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00373009 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : September 7, 2006
Last Update Posted : March 17, 2015
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Low Back Pain | Behavioral: Traditional Army training Behavioral: Core stabilization exercise only Behavioral: Psychosocial education class only Behavioral: Core stabilization and psychosocial education | Not Applicable |

Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 4325 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Single Group Assignment |
Masking: | Single (Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Prevention |
Official Title: | Prevention of Low Back Pain in the Military. A Randomized Clinical Trial |
Study Start Date : | February 2007 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | May 2011 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | May 2011 |
Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Core stabilization and psychosocial education
A core stabilization exercise program (CSEP) is used in this group and has sound biomechanical and anatomical rationale. In addition, a psychosocial education program (PSEP) will be used for this group.
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Behavioral: Core stabilization and psychosocial education
Includes both core stabilization training and psychosocial education class |
Active Comparator: Core stabilization exercise only
A core stabilization exercise program (CSEP) is used in this group and has sound biomechanical and anatomical rationale.
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Behavioral: Core stabilization exercise only
Core stabilization exercise |
Active Comparator: Psychosocial education class only.
A psychosocial education program (PSEP) will be used in this group.
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Behavioral: Psychosocial education class only
Psychosocial education class |
Traditional Army training
Traditional Army training will be used in this group.
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Behavioral: Traditional Army training
As usual training for Soldiers |
- Episodes of low back pain [ Time Frame: 2 years ]
- Duration of low back pain [ Time Frame: 2 years ]
- Severity of low back pain [ Time Frame: 2 years ]
- Muscle function [ Time Frame: 12 weeks ]
- Beliefs about low back pain [ Time Frame: 12 weeks ]

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 35 Years (Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Ages 18 - 35 years old (or emancipated minor)
- Participating in 91 W (combat medic) MOS training
- English speaking and reading
Exclusion Criteria:
- Currently seeking medical care for LBP
- Previous medical history that includes any surgery for LBP (examples include but are not limited to lumbar fusion, lumbar decompression, and lumbar discectomy)
- History of degenerative joint disease, arthritis, spine trauma or vertebral fractures, spondylolisthesis, and congenital spine disorders
- Currently unable to participate in AIT due to injury in foot, ankle, knee, hip, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, or hand injury.
- History of fracture (stress or traumatic) in proximal femur and/or pelvis
- Pregnancy (Note: Pregnancy will not result in termination from the study, even though it is an exclusion criteria at enrollment.)

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00373009
United States, Florida | |
University of Florida | |
Gainesville, Florida, United States, 32610 | |
United States, Texas | |
Brooke Army Medical Center | |
Fort Sam Houston, Texas, United States, 78234 |
Principal Investigator: | Steven Z George, PT, PHD | University of Florida |
Additional Information:
Publications of Results:
Other Publications:
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Responsible Party: | University of Florida |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00373009 History of Changes |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
PR054098 |
First Posted: | September 7, 2006 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | March 17, 2015 |
Last Verified: | March 2015 |
Low back pain Primary prevention Secondary prevention Lumbar stabilization Psychosocial education |
Back Pain Low Back Pain Pain Neurologic Manifestations Signs and Symptoms |