Low Back PainNCT07284407
Effects of Pain Neuroscience Education With Sensory Discrimination Training Among Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain
A study testing Pain Neuroscience Education with Sensory Discrimination Training and Core Stability Exercises and Pain Neuroscience Education and Core stability Exercises in people with Low Back Pain, run by Lahore University of Biological and Applied Sciences at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
The current study is a double-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial involving 80 participants with chronic low back pain. The trial will compare a program of Pain Neuroscience Education plus Sensory Discrimination Training and core stability exercises with a program of Pain Neuroscience Education and core… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 19 to 44 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Low Back Pain
- What is being tested?
- Pain Neuroscience Education with Sensory Discrimination Training and Core Stability Exercises and Pain Neuroscience Education and Core stability Exercises
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 80 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 15 Feb 2025to 15 Oct 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 19 to 44 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Age: 19 to 44 Both Genders Mechanical low back pain (duration more than 6 months and less than 2 years) >4/10 Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)
Who cannot join
- Pregnancy or post-partum Trauma Psychological Pain Radicular Pain Cancer, tumor, malignancy Neurological Deficit Recent Surgery <1year
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
MUHAMMAD TARIQ RAFIQ, PhD contact
Pakistan1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
1. Boston Physical Therapy Centre Lahore. 2. Nutricao Clinic Lahore. 3. Model Town Hospital Lahore
Lahore
About this study
Official title: Effects of Pain Neuroscience Education With Sensory Discrimination Training on Pain Catastrophizing, Kinesiophobia and Functional Movements Among Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial
The current study is a double-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial involving 80 participants with chronic low back pain. The trial will compare a program of Pain Neuroscience Education plus Sensory Discrimination Training and core stability exercises with a program of Pain Neuroscience Education and core stability exercises alone. Interventions will be delivered twice weekly for eight weeks. The primary outcome is pain catastrophizing. Secondary outcomes include kinesiophobia and functional movements. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 4, and 8 weeks. The trial will be carried out at Nutricao Lahore Clinic and Model Town Hospital, Lahore. The hypothesis is that Pain Neuroscience Education with Sensory Discrimination Training will result in greater reductions in pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia, as well as improvements in functional movements.
Read the detailed description
Chronic low back pain is a complex condition influenced by biological, psychological, and sensory factors. Pain Neuroscience Education has been shown to reduce maladaptive pain beliefs and improve pain processing, while Sensory Discrimination Training targets altered cortical representation that frequently occurs in chronic pain conditions. Combining these approaches may offer a complementary effect by addressing both cognitive and sensory dimensions of pain.
This study will evaluate the added value of Sensory Discrimination Training when delivered alongside Pain Neuroscience Education and core stability exercises, compared with a control intervention combining Pain Neuroscience Education, and core stability exercises. The trial uses a double-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled design with a total of 80 participants diagnosed with chronic low back pain.
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups. The experimental group will receive structured Pain Neuroscience Education sessions, Sensory Discrimination Training using surface-based tactile discrimination tasks, and a standardized core stability exercise program. The comparison group will receive the same Pain Neuroscience Education protocol, and the same core stability exercise program. Both interventions will be provided twice per week for eight weeks, with each session lasting 45 minutes.
The study aims to investigate whether the addition of Sensory Discrimination Training results in greater improvements in pain-related cognitions, fear-related movement avoidance, and functional movement performance. The primary mechanism of interest is the potential effect of Sensory Discrimination Training on improving cortical sensory mapping, which may contribute to reduced pain catastrophising and improved motor function. Outcome measures will be assessedat baseline, 4, and 8 weeks (end of intervention). The current study will be conducted at Nutricao Lahore Clinic and Model Town Hospital Lahore under standardized procedures to ensure intervention fidelity and consistent delivery across sessions.
- Conditions
- Low Back Pain
- Being tested
- Pain Neuroscience Education with Sensory Discrimination Training and Core Stability Exercises, Pain Neuroscience Education and Core stability Exercises
- Keywords
- Pain Catastrophizing, Kinesiophobia, Functional movements, Neuroscience pain education
- Medical subject headings
- Low Back Pain, Kinesiophobia
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Pain Neuroscience Education with Sensory Discrimination Training and Core Stability ExercisesOther
Although both Pain Neuroscience Education and Sensory Discrimination Training have demonstrated potential benefits individually, there is a paucity of research evaluating their combined effects. Integrating cognitive (PNE) and sensorimotor (SDT) approaches may produce synergistic effects, improving pain modulation, functional capacity, and psychological resilience.
Pain Neuroscience Education and Core stability ExercisesOther
Participants in the control group will receive the same 45-minute sessions twice per week, but will not receive sensory discrimination training.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental Group | Experimental | Participants in the experimental group will receive a 45-minute intervention session consisting of three integrated components (Pain Neuroscience Education, Core Stability Exercises and Graded Sensory Discrimination Training ) Receives: Other: Pain Neuroscience Education with Sensory Discrimination Training and Core Stability Exercises |
| Control group | Active comparator | Participants in the control group will receive the same 45-minute sessions consisting of two components (Pain Neuroscience Education and Core Stability Exercises). Receives: Other: Pain Neuroscience Education and Core stability Exercises |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Pain Catastrophizing
Pain catastrophizing refers to a maladaptive cognitive and emotional response to actual or perceived pain. Pain Catastrophizing is measured by the Pain Catastrophizing Scale. The Pain Catastrophizing Scale is a validated questionnaire used to measure the degree of catastrophic thinking in individuals experiencing pain (Sullivan et al. 1995). The scale consists of 13 items, each representing a different catastrophizing response. For each item, participants rate their experience using a 5-point Likert scale, where 0 = Not at all (the thought or feeling never occurred) and 4 = All the time (the thought or feeling occurred persistently). The total score ranges from 0 to 52, with higher scores indicating greater levels of pain catastrophizing.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes (2)
Kinesiophobia
Kinesiophobia is a debilitating fear of movement and physical activity due to the belief that movement will cause pain or re-injury. Kinesiophobia is measured by the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia. Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia is the most widely used and validated tool to assess the fear of movement or re-injury. It contains 17 items. Each item is scored using a 4-point Likert scale with 1 = strongly disagree and 4 = strongly agree. Total score ranges from 17 to 68, with higher scores indicating greater kinesiophobia.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
Functional Movements
Functional movement refers to the basic movements that people need in daily life to perform normal activities safely and efficiently. These movements involve multiple joints and muscle groups working together in a coordinated way. Functional movements will be assessed using 2D motion analysis through the Kinovea software. Participants will perform two standardized tasks: forward bending and sit-to-stand. All movements will be recorded using a fixed camera positioned at a consistent height (e.g., 1.2 m) and distance (e.g., 2.5 m) from the participant. Kinovea will be used to extract trunk flexion angle, lumbar deviation from the midline, pelvic tilt angle and task completion time. Higher movement quality, reduced deviation, and faster task completion will be interpreted as improved functional performance.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Dec 2025
- Study start15 Feb 2025
- Primary completion20 May 2026
- Study completion15 Oct 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Low Back PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Lahore University of Biological and Applied SciencesThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dr. Muhammad Tariq Rafiq, Lahore University of Biological and Applied Sciences
- Investigators
- MUHAMMAD TARIQ RAFIQ, Principal investigator, Lahore University of Biological & Applied Sciences
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07284407
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UBAS/ERB/FoRS/25/028
- Status last verified
- Nov 2025
- First submitted
- 17 Nov 2025
- Last updated
- 6 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Only IPD used in the results publication will be shared.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Pain Neuroscience Education With Sensory Discrimination Training on Pain Catastrophizing, Kinesiophobia and Functional Movements Among Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07284407
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UBAS/ERB/FoRS/25/028
- Conditions
- Low Back Pain
- Keywords
- Pain Catastrophizing, Kinesiophobia, Functional movements, Neuroscience pain education
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Lahore University of Biological and Applied SciencesUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Feb 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 20 May 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 16 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The current study is a double-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial involving 80 participants with chronic low back pain. The trial will compare a program of Pain Neuroscience Education plus Sensory Discrimination Training and core stability exercises with a program of Pain Neuroscience Education and core stability exercises alone. Interventions will be delivered twice weekly for eight weeks. The primary outcome is pain catastrophizing. Secondary outcomes include kinesiophobia and functional movements. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 4, and 8 weeks. The trial will be carried out at Nutricao Lahore Clinic and Model Town Hospital, Lahore. The hypothesis is that Pain Neuroscience Education with Sensory Discrimination Training will result in greater reductions in pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia, as well as improvements in functional movements.
Detailed description
Chronic low back pain is a complex condition influenced by biological, psychological, and sensory factors. Pain Neuroscience Education has been shown to reduce maladaptive pain beliefs and improve pain processing, while Sensory Discrimination Training targets altered cortical representation that frequently occurs in chronic pain conditions. Combining these approaches may offer a complementary effect by addressing both cognitive and sensory dimensions of pain.
This study will evaluate the added value of Sensory Discrimination Training when delivered alongside Pain Neuroscience Education and core stability exercises, compared with a control intervention combining Pain Neuroscience Education, and core stability exercises. The trial uses a double-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled design with a total of 80 participants diagnosed with chronic low back pain.
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups. The experimental group will receive structured Pain Neuroscience Education sessions, Sensory Discrimination Training using surface-based tactile discrimination tasks, and a standardized core stability exercise program. The comparison group will receive the same Pain Neuroscience Education protocol, and the same core stability exercise program. Both interventions will be provided twice per week for eight weeks, with each session lasting 45 minutes.
The study aims to investigate whether the addition of Sensory Discrimination Training results in greater improvements in pain-related cognitions, fear-related movement avoidance, and functional movement performance. The primary mechanism of interest is the potential effect of Sensory Discrimination Training on improving cortical sensory mapping, which may contribute to reduced pain catastrophising and improved motor function. Outcome measures will be assessedat baseline, 4, and 8 weeks (end of intervention). The current study will be conducted at Nutricao Lahore Clinic and Model Town Hospital Lahore under standardized procedures to ensure intervention fidelity and consistent delivery across sessions.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, care provider, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental Group | Experimental | Other: Pain Neuroscience Education with Sensory Discrimination Training and Core Stability ExercisesParticipants in the experimental group will receive a 45-minute intervention session consisting of three integrated components (Pain Neuroscience Education, Core Stability Exercises and Graded Sensory Discrimination Training ) |
| Control group | Active comparator | Other: Pain Neuroscience Education and Core stability ExercisesParticipants in the control group will receive the same 45-minute sessions consisting of two components (Pain Neuroscience Education and Core Stability Exercises). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 19 to 44 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Age: 19 to 44 Both Genders Mechanical low back pain (duration more than 6 months and less than 2 years) >4/10 Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Pregnancy or post-partum Trauma Psychological Pain Radicular Pain Cancer, tumor, malignancy Neurological Deficit Recent Surgery <1year
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Pain Neuroscience Education with Sensory Discrimination Training and Core Stability ExercisesAlthough both Pain Neuroscience Education and Sensory Discrimination Training have demonstrated potential benefits individually, there is a paucity of research evaluating their combined effects. Integrating cognitive (PNE) and sensorimotor (SDT) approaches may produce synergistic effects, improving pain modulation, functional capacity, and psychological resilience. | Other | Experimental Group |
| Pain Neuroscience Education and Core stability ExercisesParticipants in the control group will receive the same 45-minute sessions twice per week, but will not receive sensory discrimination training. | Other | Control group |
Primary outcome
Pain Catastrophizing
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
Pain catastrophizing refers to a maladaptive cognitive and emotional response to actual or perceived pain. Pain Catastrophizing is measured by the Pain Catastrophizing Scale. The Pain Catastrophizing Scale is a validated questionnaire used to measure the degree of catastrophic thinking in individuals experiencing pain (Sullivan et al. 1995). The scale consists of 13 items, each representing a different catastrophizing response. For each item, participants rate their experience using a 5-point Likert scale, where 0 = Not at all (the thought or feeling never occurred) and 4 = All the time (the thought or feeling occurred persistently). The total score ranges from 0 to 52, with higher scores indicating greater levels of pain catastrophizing.
2 secondary outcomes
Kinesiophobia
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
Functional Movements
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Only IPD used in the results publication will be shared.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
MUHAMMAD TARIQ RAFIQ, PhD contact
MUHAMMAD TARIQ RAFIQ principal investigator
Lahore University of Biological & Applied Sciences
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Pain Neuroscience Education with Sensory Discrimination Training and Core Stability Exercises and Pain Neuroscience Education and Core stability Exercises in people with Low Back Pain, run by Lahore University of Biological and Applied Sciences at 1 site in Pakistan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Pakistan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact MUHAMMAD SAAD JANJUA (+923167995435, ubs24lmspt023@ubas.edu.pk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Pain Catastrophizing (time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Oct 2026.