RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Impact of Motor Imagery in the Functional Rehabilitation of Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: a Randomised Controlled Trial

This study aims to discover if a technique called 'motor imagery' can improve rehabilitation for people with chronic low back pain. Chronic low back pain is a very common condition that can greatly affect daily life, making movement difficult and sometimes causing a fear of moving. Motor imagery means imagining a movement without actually doing it. This technique is thought to activate the same brain areas as physical movement, potentially helping to improve movement control and reduce pain. Participants will take part in an intensive rehabilitation program at a hospital. Some will also try motor imagery sessions. We will compare how well people recover with and without this technique, looking at things like their movement skills, quality of life, and levels of pain. We hope this research will lead to better ways to help people manage their long-term back pain.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dijon

Enrolment target

Start

22 Jan 2026

Estimated completion

01 Mar 2028

Common Non-specific Low Back Pain

What is this study about?

If you suffer from ongoing (chronic) low back pain, you know how much it can affect your daily life. It's a very common problem worldwide and can make it hard to move, enjoy activities, and even lead to a fear of movement because you don't want to make the pain worse. While there are rehabilitation programs that help, they don't always fully solve the problem, and many people continue to live with pain.

This study explores a new way to help. We know that when people have chronic back pain, their brain sometimes struggles to prepare and control movements properly. A technique called motor imagery might help with this. Motor imagery is simply imagining yourself doing a movement, like bending or walking, without actually moving your body. When you do this, the same parts of your brain light up as if you were truly performing the action. Because of this, it's thought that motor imagery could train your brain to better control movements and ultimately help reduce pain and improve how you feel.

This research will test if adding motor imagery to a well-known rehabilitation program can make a bigger difference for people with chronic low back pain. We want to see if it can improve your movement skills, boost your overall quality of life, and reduce fear of movement and pain. Each person in the study will go through an intensive rehabilitation program at a hospital. Some will also have special motor imagery sessions. We will then compare the results to understand if this new technique is beneficial.

Key takeaways

Targets long-term (chronic) low back pain.
Tests a new technique called 'motor imagery' alongside rehabilitation.
Participation involves an intensive 3-week rehabilitation program.
Aims to improve movement, reduce pain, and boost quality of life.
Includes assessments before and after the program to track progress.

Who may be eligible?

To join this study, you must be an adult with ongoing low back pain that hasn't been caused by a specific injury or clear medical problem, and has been bothering you for more than six months. You should also be considered suitable for a long rehabilitation program by our medical team. Participants must be able to understand the study and agree to take part.

However, there are reasons why you might not be able to join. For example, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, already planning to have spinal surgery in the next year, or have other serious health conditions that could greatly affect your movement, you wouldn't be able to participate. We also can't include people who have already completed a similar intensive rehabilitation program, or if you have difficulty understanding instructions or expressing yourself.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you an adult aged 18 or over?
Has your low back pain lasted for more than 6 months?
Is your low back pain not caused by a specific injury or other health problem?
Are you able to understand and agree to participate in a study?
Are you fluent in English?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in this study, the main part of your participation will involve an intensive rehabilitation program at the Dijon Bourgogne University Hospital. This program will run for three weeks, five days a week, for about seven hours each day. It's a comprehensive program that includes various activities like personalised exercise, resistance training, water therapy (balneotherapy), educational sessions about health, motivational talks, advice on nutrition, relaxation, and psychology sessions.

In addition to this rehabilitation program, you will also take part in 30-minute motor imagery sessions. The exact content of these sessions will depend on which group you are randomly assigned to for the study. Your participation will also include two important check-up visits: one before you start the three-week program and another one after you finish. During these visits, various assessments will be carried out to see how the program and motor imagery have affected your back pain, movement, and overall well-being. The total duration of your active participation will be these three weeks plus the initial and final assessment visits.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study could offer several potential benefits. You will receive an extensive, expert-led rehabilitation program, and for some, the added motor imagery sessions might help to further improve movement control, reduce pain, and boost your quality of life. The information gained from this study could also help countless others with chronic back pain in the future. As with any medical study, there are potential risks, though they are generally low. The rehabilitation program is designed to be safe, but as with any exercise, there's a small chance of muscle soreness or discomfort. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (1)

CHU Dijon Bourgogne
Verified postcode
Dijon, France· Recruiting

Common questions

What is 'motor imagery'?

Motor imagery is like mental practice. It means imagining yourself doing a movement, such as walking or bending, very vividly in your mind, without actually moving your body.

How long does the rehabilitation program last?

The rehabilitation program is quite intensive and lasts for three weeks. You'll attend sessions for five days a week, about seven hours each day.

Will I have to pay to participate?

The study itself doesn't involve payment for participation. Your social security scheme would be expected to cover usual medical costs, similar to any other treatment.

What if I don't speak English fluently?

This study requires participants to be fluent in English to ensure clear communication and understanding of instructions and surveys. Unfortunately, if you are not fluent, you would not be able to join.

Can I stop participating if I want to?

Yes, absolutely. You are free to withdraw from the study at any point, for any reason, and it will not affect the medical care you receive.

How to find out more

Sophie BIZE

sophie.bize@chu-dijon.fr 03 80 29 57 38 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.