Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain in Office Workers

Dokuz Eylul University104 enrolled

Overview

This study evaluated whether a mindfulness-based therapy program could reduce pain severity in office workers with non-specific chronic low back pain. The study included staff members of Dokuz Eylul University aged 20 to 59 years who had low back pain for at least three months and worked at a desk for more than four hours per day. Participants were randomly assigned to either a mindfulness-based therapy group or a control group. The mindfulness-based therapy group attended online group sessions once a week for four weeks. The sessions included breathing awareness meditation, body scan meditation, self-compassion meditation, and chair yoga practices. Participants in the control group continued their usual medical care during the study period. The primary outcome of the study was pain severity, assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale. Secondary outcomes included physical activity level, disability related to low back pain, anxiety symptoms, quality of life, and mindfulness level. Participants were evaluated at baseline, Week 4 (end of intervention), Week 16 (3-month follow-up), and Week 28 (6-month follow-up).

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

104

Conditions

Non-specific Chronic Low Back Pain Chronic Low-back Pain (cLBP)

Interventions

Mindfulness-Based Therapy ProgramBEHAVIORAL

The intervention was a four-week online mindfulness-based therapy program delivered in small groups of approximately 8-10 participants. Participants attended one 60-90-minute online group session per week. The program included breathing awareness meditation, body scan meditation, self-compassion meditation, and chair yoga practices adapted for office workers with non-specific chronic low back pain. Each session included a brief theoretical introduction, guided practice, participant reflection, and a question-and-answer section. Participants were encouraged to practise breathing awareness and body scan exercises at home for 10-15 minutes daily and to record their practice, thoughts, and emotions using a mindfulness practice log.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 20 YearsMax age: 59 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Staff member of Dokuz Eylül University * Aged between 20 and 59 years * Willing to participate in the study * Having low back pain for at least 3 months * Working at a desk for more than 4 hours per day * Having access to an internet connection at home or at work * Having a computer and/or smartphone suitable for participating in online sessions and completing online forms Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of an organic condition that could explain low back pain, such as lumbar disc herniation * Presence of an underlying rheumatological disease, such as ankylosing spondylitis or rheumatoid arthritis * Diagnosed psychiatric disorder * Alcohol or substance dependence * Current use of psychiatric medication * Pregnancy * Speech or hearing problems that could interfere with participation

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change From Baseline in Pain Severity on the Visual Analogue Scale

Pain severity was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), a 0-100 scale in which higher scores indicate greater pain severity.