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

NCT07621302 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: DEU-2021-27-08
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 104
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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).

Conditions

Non-specific Chronic Low Back Pain; Chronic Low-back Pain (cLBP); Mindfulness Meditation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• 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.

  Baseline, Week 4 (end of intervention), Week 16 (3-month follow-up), and Week 28 (6-month follow-up)

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Change From Baseline in Physical Activity Level on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form

  Baseline, Week 4 (end of intervention), Week 16 (3-month follow-up), and Week 28 (6-month follow-up)

• Change From Baseline in Low Back Pain-Related Disability on the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire

  Baseline, Week 4 (end of intervention), Week 16 (3-month follow-up), and Week 28 (6-month follow-up)

• Change From Baseline in Health-Related Quality of Life on the Short Form-36 Health Survey

  Baseline, Week 4 (end of intervention), Week 16 (3-month follow-up), and Week 28 (6-month follow-up)

• Change From Baseline in Anxiety Symptoms on the Beck Anxiety Inventory

  Baseline, Week 4 (end of intervention), Week 16 (3-month follow-up), and Week 28 (6-month follow-up)

• Change From Baseline in Mindfulness Level on the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire Short Form

  Baseline, Week 4 (end of intervention), Week 16 (3-month follow-up), and Week 28 (6-month follow-up)

Study Arms (2)

Mindfulness-Based Therapy Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this arm received a four-week online mindfulness-based therapy program. The program consisted of weekly 60-90-minute group sessions delivered online in small groups of approximately 8-10 participants. The sessions included breathing awareness meditation, body scan meditation, self-compassion meditation, and chair yoga practices. Participants were also encouraged to practise breathing awareness and body scan exercises at home for 10-15 minutes daily and to record their practice using a mindfulness practice log.

Behavioral: Mindfulness-Based Therapy Program

Usual Care Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in this arm continued their usual medical care during the study period and did not receive the mindfulness-based therapy program during the active study phase. After completion of the six-month follow-up assessment, participants were provided with video and audio recordings and written materials introducing the mindfulness techniques used in the intervention group.

Interventions

Mindfulness-Based Therapy Program BEHAVIORAL

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.

Mindfulness-Based Therapy Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 59 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• 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

You may not qualify if:

• 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

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Dokuz Eylul University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Dokuz Eylül University

Izmir, Balçova, 35340, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Specialist Family Physician

Model Details: Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a four-week online mindfulness-based therapy group or a control group receiving usual medical care. The intervention group attended weekly online group sessions including breathing awareness meditation, body scan meditation, self-compassion meditation, and chair yoga practices.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 24, 2026
• First Posted: June 2, 2026
• Study Start: April 4, 2022
• Primary Completion: June 6, 2022
• Study Completion: January 23, 2023
• Last Updated: June 2, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)