Chronic nonspecific low back pain is one of the most common causes of pain and disability worldwide. Many people with chronic low back pain experience difficulties with balance, posture, movement control, and daily activities. Sensorimotor balance training is a rehabilitation approach designed to improve balance, body awareness, and neuromuscular control. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to investigate whether sensorimotor balance training is more effective than standard physiotherapy in reducing pain and improving spinal alignment in adults with chronic nonspecific low back pain. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a sensorimotor balance training group or a standard physiotherapy group. Both groups will receive treatment three times per week for 12 weeks. Pain intensity, functional disability, and spinal alignment will be assessed before and after the intervention. Spinal alignment will be measured using the DIERS Formetric 4D system, a non-invasive and radiation-free technology that evaluates posture and spinal shape. The findings of this study may help identify effective rehabilitation strategies for improving pain, function, and spinal alignment in people with chronic nonspecific low back pain.
Chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNSLBP) is a major cause of disability and reduced quality of life worldwide. In addition to pain, individuals with CNSLBP frequently demonstrate impairments in sensorimotor control, proprioception, postural stability, and trunk muscle coordination. These impairments may contribute to persistent symptoms and functional limitations. Sensorimotor balance training has emerged as a rehabilitation approach aimed at improving sensory integration, neuromuscular control, and dynamic postural stability. Previous studies have reported beneficial effects of sensorimotor-focused interventions on pain and functional outcomes; however, most investigations have relied primarily on self-reported measures, with limited assessment of objective biomechanical changes. The DIERS Formetric 4D system provides a non-invasive, radiation-free method for evaluating spinal posture and alignment, including measures of trunk imbalance, pelvic tilt, and sagittal spinal curvature. The integration of objective spinal assessment with rehabilitation interventions may provide greater insight into the relationship between symptom improvement and structural-functional adaptations. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of sensorimotor balance training on pain intensity and spinal alignment in adults with chronic nonspecific low back pain. The study will compare sensorimotor balance training with standard physiotherapy and examine whether improvements in pain are associated with measurable changes in spinal alignment. Findings from this study may contribute to the development of evidence-based rehabilitation strategies for the management of chronic nonspecific low back pain.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
80
Participants will receive a structured sensorimotor balance training program designed to improve proprioception, postural stability, and neuromuscular control. The intervention will be delivered three times per week for 12 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 45 minutes. Exercises include wobble board balance training, core activation exercises, and dynamic single-leg stance activities. Exercise difficulty will be progressively increased every two weeks according to participant performance and
Participants will receive standard physiotherapy treatment consisting of stretching and core strengthening exercises. The intervention will be delivered three times per week for 12 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 45 minutes. A standardized progression protocol will be followed throughout the intervention period to ensure consistency of treatment delivery across participants.
Physiotherapy Clinics, Department of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University
Najran, Najran Region, Saudi Arabia
Pain Intensity Measured by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)
The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) is a self-reported measure of pain intensity scored from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. The primary outcome will be the change in pain intensity from baseline to the end of the 12-week intervention period.
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
Spinal Alignment Measured by DIERS Formetric 4D
Spinal alignment will be assessed using the DIERS Formetric 4D system, a non-invasive and radiation-free surface topography method. Parameters evaluated will include trunk imbalance, pelvic tilt, and sagittal spinal curvature. The outcome measure will be the change in spinal alignment parameters from baseline to the end of the intervention period.
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
Functional Disability Measured by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)
Functional disability will be assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), a validated questionnaire measuring the impact of low back pain on daily activities and functional performance. The outcome measure will be the change in ODI score from baseline to the end of the 12-week intervention period.
Time frame: Baseline and Week 12
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