1.Brief name | The WalkBack Trial |
2. Why | Low back pain (LBP) is recognised globally as a prevalent, costly and disabling condition. Recurrences are common and contribute to much of the burden of LBP. Current evidence favours exercise and education for prevention of LBP, but an optimal intervention has not yet been established. Walking is a simple, widely accessible, low-cost intervention that has yet to be evaluated. |
3. What materials | Participants allocated to the walking/education intervention will receive:Sessions with a physiotherapist with the primary aim to design a progressive and individually tailored walking programme. Education which will focus on a modern understanding of LBP that reduces the threat and fear associated with pain and advice on strategies to reduce the risk of a recurrence of LBP. A wearable physical activity tracker to measure daily steps. A walking diary to act as a motivator in completing the programme and provide a degree of accountability.
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4. What procedures | The initial of three face-to-face contacts with the clinician will be used to collaboratively design a walking programme and provide education and advice related to LBP and the rationale for undertaking the programme. The telephone and face-to-face sessions will use health coaching principles to identify barriers and facilitators to engagement in the walking programme, and to provide support to assist participants achieve the walking goals or modify the programme as required. The follow-up face-to-face contacts with the clinician will focus on progression of the walking programme by a combination of increasing frequency, duration and intensity throughout the programme.
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5. Who provided | Clinicians with a tertiary qualification in physiotherapy who have received training through Wellness Coaching Australia on the topic of behaviour change and coaching will deliver the intervention. |
6. How | The initial assessment and tailored walking programme will be reassessed and progressed during the three face-to-face consults with the clinician. Coaching throughout the programme will be delivered both over the phone and in the face-to-face sessions.
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7. Where | The intervention will be delivered at approximately 25 private physiotherapy clinics in Australia. |
8. When and how much | Following randomisation, those in the walking/education intervention will receive six sessions with a physiotherapist. Participants will be booked in for an initial consult (week 0) with a physiotherapist lasting approximately 45 min. The telephone-based coaching will occur at three time points (weeks 2, 8 and 26), taking approximately 15 min based on each participant’s requirement. Two face-to-face follow-up sessions will take place in weeks 4 and 12 and will last approximately 30 min.
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9. Tailoring | |