Mobile App-Supported Exercise Program For Mechanical Low Back Pain

NCT07495475 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: MechanicalLumbarApp
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Mechanical low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders affecting daily activities and quality of life. Home exercise programs are frequently recommended in the management of low back pain; however, adherence to these programs is often limited. Mobile health applications may enhance adherence by providing exercise demonstrations, reminders, and monitoring tools. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of a mobile application-supported home exercise program on posture, balance, pain, and functional status in individuals with mechanical low back pain. Participants with chronic mechanical low back pain will be randomly assigned to two groups. Both groups will receive the same home exercise program. The control group will receive the exercises in printed format, while the experimental group will follow the program through the E-Exercise mobile application that includes exercise videos, reminders, and progress tracking. Participants will be evaluated before the intervention and after six weeks of exercise training. Outcome measures will include flexibility, posture, balance, pain intensity, and functional disability. The results of this study may contribute to improving adherence to home exercise programs and promoting the use of digital health technologies in physiotherapy practice.

Conditions

Mechanical Low Back Pain

Keywords

Low Back Pain; Mechanical Low Back Pain; Home Exercise Program; Mobile Health Application; Physiotherapy; Exercise Adherence

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Pain Intensity Measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS)

  Pain intensity will be assessed using a 10-cm Visual Analog Scale, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates worst possible pain.

  Baseline and 6 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Flexibility Measured by Sit and Reach Test (cm)

  Baseline and 6 weeks

• Postural Alignment Measured by PostureScreenLite Mobile Application

  Baseline and 6 weeks

• Postural Balance Measured by Bertec Balance System (Center of Pressure Parameters)

  Baseline and 6 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Printed Home Exercise Program

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in this group will receive the same home exercise program in printed format. Exercises will be explained by a physiotherapist and participants will be asked to perform them at home three times per week for six weeks.

Behavioral: Printed Home Exercise Program

Mobile Application-Supported Home Exercise

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will receive a home exercise program supported by the E-Exercise mobile application. The application provides video demonstrations of exercises, reminder notifications, and exercise tracking. Participants will perform the exercises three times per week for six weeks.

Behavioral: Mobile Application-Supported Home Exercise Program

Interventions

Mobile Application-Supported Home Exercise Program BEHAVIORAL

Participants will follow a home exercise program through the E-Exercise mobile application. The application provides video demonstrations of exercises, reminder notifications, and an exercise tracking feature. Participants will perform the exercises three times per week for six weeks. The exercises are designed by a physiotherapist and aim to improve flexibility, posture, balance, pain, and functional status.

Mobile Application-Supported Home Exercise

Printed Home Exercise Program BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive a printed version of the same home exercise program explained by a physiotherapist. Participants will perform the exercises at home three times per week for six weeks without mobile application support.

Printed Home Exercise Program

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Individuals aged between 18 and 65 years
• Diagnosis of chronic mechanical low back pain lasting longer than 3 months
• Ability to use a smartphone or mobile device
• Willingness to participate in the study and provide informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Cauda equina syndrome
• Long-term corticosteroid use
• Presence of focal neurological deficits associated with disability
• Previous spinal surgery
• Severe neurological or systemic disorders affecting mobility

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Karabuk University: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Low Back Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Back Pain; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Central Study Contacts

Ece ACAR, PhD

CONTACT

+905457925035; eceacar@karabuk.edu.tr

Nidanur Soyturk, Student

CONTACT

+905466672727; 2211502614@ogrenci.karabuk.edu.tr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: The outcome assessor responsible for collecting and analyzing the evaluation data will be blinded to group allocation. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the mobile application-supported home exercise group or the printed home exercise group. The assessor conducting the posture, balance, flexibility, pain, and functional assessments will not be informed about which intervention the participants received in order to minimize assessment bias.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assoc.Prof

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned to two parallel groups. Both groups will receive the same home exercise program designed by a physiotherapist. The control group will receive the exercises in printed format, while the experimental group will follow the exercise program through a mobile application that provides video demonstrations, reminders, and exercise tracking features. The intervention will be performed three times per week for six weeks. Outcome assessments will be conducted before the intervention and after completion of the program.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 12, 2026
• First Posted: March 27, 2026
• Study Start: April 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Last Updated: April 1, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share