Spinal manipulation and exercise for low back pain in adolescents: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Physical Therapy
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Low back pain is a prevalent and costly chronic condition affecting both adults and adolescents.
• Adolescent low back pain prevalence is similar to adults, yet research on effective treatments for this age group is limited.
• This study focuses on chronic or recurrent low back pain in adolescents aged 12-18.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the methodology of a randomized clinical trial.
• To examine the effectiveness of exercise therapy combined with spinal manipulative therapy versus exercise therapy alone for adolescent low back pain.
• To provide evidence for conservative management strategies in young patients.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial comparing 12 weeks of exercise plus spinal manipulation to exercise alone.
• 184 participants (ages 12-18) with chronic/recurrent low back pain enrolled across two sites.
• Primary outcome: self-reported low back pain intensity; secondary outcomes: disability, quality of life, satisfaction, activity, physical measures, and qualitative interviews.

Main Results:

• This section is not available in the provided abstract.

Conclusions:

• This is the first randomized clinical trial evaluating combined spinal manipulative therapy and exercise for adolescent low back pain.
• The study's findings will offer crucial evidence regarding the efficacy of these conservative treatments in managing low back pain among adolescents.