Gamified delivery of at-home rehabilitation for individuals with nonspecific low back pain: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Purpose

To measure the change in pain and disability during and after a 6-week gamified delivery of home exercise compared to a take-home packet.

Materials and Methods

A 6-week at-home exercise protocol included participants randomly allocated to a gamified delivery group or packet group. The exercise protocol included the plank, side plank, foot elevated side plank, dead bug, and bird dog completed until discontinuation. The gamified delivery group received on-demand exercise videos and weekly exercise duration leaderboards. The packet group received a take-home packet.

Results

Forty participants were randomized into a packet group and leaderboard group, and 30 participants completed the study. Disability was significantly lower at 6-weeks (11.29 ± 9.81%) compared to baseline (15.93 ± 11.65%) in the packet group (χ²(2) =10.89, Z= −3.163, p=.002, r=.708). Percent disability was significantly lower at 6-weeks (8.00 ± 5.91%) compared to baseline (13.01 ± 7.17%) in the gamified delivery group (χ²(2) =13.235, Z= −3.399, p= <.001, r= −0.760). Worst pain was higher at baseline (7.05 ± 1.61%) than at 6-weeks (5.75 ± 1.68%) in the packet group (χ²(2) =8.067, Z = 2.760, p=.006, r= −0.617). Worst pain was higher at baseline (6.90 ± 1.33%) than at 6-weeks (5.24 ± 2.38%) in the gamified delivery group (χ²(2) =6.250, Z= −2.810, p=.005, r= −0.628). No significant difference in the change of disability from baseline to 6 weeks was found between groups (p=.483).

Conclusions

Core exercises completed until failure may improve disability and pain at 6-weeks and positively influence perceived patient improvement.

Registry: Clinicaltrials.gov; Registration number: NCT05573932

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION:

• Nonspecific low back pain affects individuals on a personal, societal and economic level.

• Both interventions and exercises in this study influenced disability and pain, the outcome variables most important to individuals suffering from nonspecific low back pain.

• Targeting core musculature during at-home exercise may decrease pain and disability in the nonspecific low back pain population.

Keywords:

• Nonspecific low back pain
• disability
• rehabilitation
• core exercise
• gamification

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

None.