The Neural Basis of Lumbosacral Proprioceptive Impairment in Recurrent Low Back Pain

NCT ID: NCT01540617

Last Updated: 2014-04-14

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 36 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2012-04-30
• Study Completion Date: 2014-04-30

Brief Summary

Low back pain (LBP) is a well known health problem in Western society that is significantly responsible for socio-economic problems like absenteeism and disability. The lifetime prevalence of LBP is 60-80% and approximately 85% of this LBP has a "non-specific" character whereby the underlying causes and risk factors cannot be demonstrated. While many people recover within a month, most individuals will have recurrence within a year with more severe symptoms. This might be due to insufficient knowledge of the underlying mechanisms. Impaired proprioception, the ability to discern body/limb positions and movements, may cause and maintain LBP shown by an altered postural control strategy. Specifically, patients with LBP rely more on proprioceptive signals from the ankles due to less reliable proprioceptive input of proximal segments. Moreover, they show a decreased variability in postural control and less postural robustness, while variability is a prerequisite for optimal functioning of biological systems. However, further clarification of the neural correlates is necessary. Deficits in proprioception, as found in a subgroup of patient with LBP, are associated with a decreased ability of the brain to process proprioceptive inputs.

The aim of this project is to clarify the central changes in individuals with recurrent non-specific low back pain and healthy controls. To evaluate these central changes MRI techniques (3DTFE, DTI and RS-fMRI) will be used. In addition, the association between central changes and postural control tasks will be evaluated.

Conditions

Low Back Pain

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: CASE_CONTROL
• Study Time Perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL

Study Groups

Persons with low back pain

No interventions assigned to this group

Healthy persons

No interventions assigned to this group

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age: 20-50 year
• At least 6 months of low back pain with/without referred pain in buttock/thigh
• At least 3 episodes of disabling low back pain
• At least a score of 14% on the Oswestry Disability Index
• Willingness to sign the informed consent
• Met the MRI related requirements

• Age: 20-50 year
• No history of low back pain
• A score of 0% on the Oswestry Disability Index
• Willingness to sign the informed consent
• Met the MRI related requirements

Exclusion Criteria

• History of major trauma and/or major orthopedic surgery of the spine, the pelvis or the lower quadrant
• One of the following conditions: Parkinson, MS, Stroke with sequels....
• Radicular symptoms
• Not Dutch-speaking
• Strong opioids
• Neck pain
• Ankle problems
• Smoking

• Minimum Eligible Age: 20 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 50 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Agentschap voor Innovatie door Wetenschap en Technologie

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

KU Leuven

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Simon Brumagne

Prof. dr.

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Simon Brumagne, Professor

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

KU Leuven

Locations

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Leuven, , Belgium

Countries

Belgium

References

Claeys K, Brumagne S, Dankaerts W, Kiers H, Janssens L. Decreased variability in postural control strategies in young people with non-specific low back pain is associated with altered proprioceptive reweighting. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2011 Jan;111(1):115-23. doi: 10.1007/s00421-010-1637-x. Epub 2010 Sep 8.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 20824281 (View on PubMed)

Brumagne S, Janssens L, Knapen S, Claeys K, Suuden-Johanson E. Persons with recurrent low back pain exhibit a rigid postural control strategy. Eur Spine J. 2008 Sep;17(9):1177-84. doi: 10.1007/s00586-008-0709-7. Epub 2008 Jul 2.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 18594876 (View on PubMed)

Brumagne S, Janssens L, Janssens E, Goddyn L. Altered postural control in anticipation of postural instability in persons with recurrent low back pain. Gait Posture. 2008 Nov;28(4):657-62. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2008.04.015. Epub 2008 Jun 9.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 18541428 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

2012_SBrumagne_MRIproprio

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id