NCT06999772 Combining Brain Stimulation and Physiotherapy for the Management of Chronic Low Back Pain
| NCT ID | NCT06999772 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | Laval University |
| Condition | Chronic Low-back Pain (cLBP) |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 96 participants |
| Start Date | 2025-06-11 |
| Primary Completion | 2026-11-01 |
Eligibility & Interventions
Eligibility Fast-Check
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What to Expect as a Participant
You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.
This trial targets 96 participants in total. It began in 2025-06-11 with a primary completion date of 2026-11-01.
⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.
Brief Summary
Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a major health challenge in Canada, leading to substantial disability and socioeconomic burden, particularly among Veterans. In military Veterans, LBP is the most common chronic pain condition. Conventional interventions have limited effectiveness. The refractoriness to interventions suggests that specific CLBP mechanisms may be missed by current treatments, prompting a shift towards psychologically informed approaches which aim to address emotional and cognitive factors alongside biomedical aspects. The integration of these concepts into physiotherapy is called psychologically informed physiotherapy (PiP). Despite promising results of PiP from randomized controlled trials, residual pain and disability often persist in Veterans. Non-invasive brain stimulation, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), may enhance the effectiveness of PiP by modulating cognition, emotion, and pain. This proposal seeks to determine whether non-invasive brain stimulation can enhance the effects of PiP.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults between 18 and 65 years old * Military Veterans with non-specific chronic low back pain (\> 3 months, \> 50% of the days in the last 6 months) * High level of psychosocial factors, scoring ≥4 on the Start Back Screening Tool * Functional limitations, scoring ≥ 15% on the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) Exclusion Criteria: * Non-musculoskeletal conditions causing low back pain (e.g., neoplasia, fracture) * Diagnosis of drug or alcohol abuse * Change of drug dosage in the last month for the treatment of pain or mental health * Presenting with any specific rTMS-related exclusion criteria such as previous seizure/convulsion, cochlear implant, and pregnancy
Contact & Investigator
Hugo Massé-Alarie, PhD
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Laval University
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT06999772 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, up to 65 Years, studying Chronic Low-back Pain (cLBP). Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
Is NCT06999772 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT06999772 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at hugo.masse-alarie@fmed.ulaval.ca for enrollment information.
Where is the NCT06999772 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at Québec, Canada, Québec, Canada.
Who is sponsoring the NCT06999772 clinical trial?
NCT06999772 is sponsored by Laval University. The principal investigator is Hugo Massé-Alarie, PhD at Laval University. The trial plans to enroll 96 participants.