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

This study has been completed.

First Received: October 9, 2003 Last Updated: August 16, 2006 History of Changes

Sponsored by:	National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Information provided by:	National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:	NCT00070915

Purpose

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.

Condition	Intervention
Low Back Pain	Behavioral: Tai chi Behavioral: Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction program Procedure: Therapeutic massage

Study Type:	Interventional
Study Design:	Treatment, Randomized, Single Blind, Active Control, Factorial Assignment, Efficacy Study
Official Title:	Relaxation-Related CAM Therapies for Chronic Back Pain

Resource links provided by NLM:

MedlinePlus related topics: Back Pain

U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM):

Estimated Enrollment:	120
Study Start Date:	September 2000
Estimated Study Completion Date:	June 2003

Detailed Description:

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.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:	20 Years to 64 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:	Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:	Yes

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Chronic lower back pain

Contacts and Locations

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00070915

Sponsors and Collaborators

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

Investigators

Principal Investigator:

Daniel C. Cherkin

Center for Health Studies

More Information

No publications provided

Study ID Numbers:	R01 AT000606-01
Study First Received:	October 9, 2003
Last Updated:	August 16, 2006
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:	NCT00070915 History of Changes
Health Authority:	United States: Federal Government

Study placed in the following topic categories:

Signs and Symptoms
Neurologic Manifestations
Low Back Pain
Pain
Back Pain

Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Signs and Symptoms
Nervous System Diseases
Neurologic Manifestations

Low Back Pain
Pain
Back Pain

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 03, 2009