Sacroiliac Joint DysfunctionNCT07917611
Effect of Retro Walking in Patients With Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
A study testing core stabilization exercises with backward walking and core stabilization exercises in people with Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction, run by Cairo University.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effect of adding retro-walking (RW) to core stabilization exercises (CSE) on isokinetic peak torque of lower limb muscles, pain severity, and disability level in patients with sacroiliac joint dysfunction(SIJD).The main questions it aims to answer are: Will there… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 20 to 40 years, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
- What is being tested?
- core stabilization exercises with backward walking and core stabilization exercises
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- Dec 2026to Mar 2028
- 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 20 to 40 years
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Age ranging from 20-40 years.
- pain lasting for more than 3 months
- ≥ 4 in diagnostic scoring system (Kurosawa et al., 2017).
- 3 or more positive provocative test of SIJ tests (distraction test, compression test, sacral trust, thigh trust test, gaenslen test).
- Pain in or around the sacroiliac region with or without leg pain.
Who cannot join
- Midline or symmetrical pain above the level of L5 or radicular pain with neurological deficits (sensory or motor deficit).
- A history of spinal surgery, infection, tumors fracture of the spine, pelvis or lower extremities.
- Hospitalization for severe trauma or car accident.
- Pregnancy or lactation.
- Any systemic disease such as arthritis, tuberculosis.
- Leg length discrepancy and scoliosis.
Show all 10Show fewer
- Injection of corticosteroids or anesthetics in the SIJ during the previous month.
- Participating in physical therapy for 3 months prior the study.
- Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during the therapy.
- Participating in any regular exercise.
About this study
Official title: Effect of Retro Walking on Isokinetic Peak Torque of Lower Limb Muscles in Patients With Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effect of adding retro-walking (RW) to core stabilization exercises (CSE) on isokinetic peak torque of lower limb muscles, pain severity, and disability level in patients with sacroiliac joint dysfunction(SIJD).The main questions it aims to answer are:
Will there be any effect for the combined application of RW training and CSE on isokinetic peak torques of, hip extensors and abductors, knee extensors, and ankle planter-flexors, pain severity, and disability level in patients with SIJD? Will there be any difference between the combined application of RW training and CSE and the solo application of CSE on isokinetic peak torques hip extensors and abductors, knee extensors, and ankle planter-flexors, pain severity, and disability level in patients with SIJD?
Read the detailed description
One of the most overlooked sources of low back pain (LBP) is the sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SIJD). The reported prevalence of chronic mechanical LBP originating from the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) ranges from 15% to 30% with females being affected more than males. SIJ is the largest axial joint in the body that connects the spine to the pelvis and thus transfers load from the lumbar spine to lower extremities and vice versa. During weight bearing activities, the ankle, knee and hip act as a linked system minimizing the transmission of force to the pelvis and spine.
Some studies investigated electromyographic activity of gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and other lumbo-pelvic muscles in patients with SIJD. They found reduced activity of these muscles and delayed onset of activation in SIJD compared with the controls. Also, recent studies found there was a relation between pelvic, and lower limb injuries and SIJD.
Treatment of SIJ pain is variable, and there are no guidelines or an appropriate management plan for this dysfunction. Core Stabilization Exercises (CSE) are a common form of exercise therapy used to treat LBP and SIJD. Backward walking (BW) or retro-walking (RW) is a recently emerging exercise that helps enhance the balance, muscle strength of the lower limbs and hamstring flexibility. Reviewing the literature revealed that there was no study investigated the effect of BW training on lower limb muscles' strength, pain, and disability in patients with SIJD. Yet, there is a gap in literature regarding the effect of RW training on hip, knee, and ankle muscles' strength in such patients. Furthermore, the effect of adding RW training to CSE on such variables wasn't previously investigated. So, the current study will be conducted to fill this gap, by investigating the effect of adding RW to CSE on isokinetic peak torques of hip extensors and abductors, knee extensors, ankle planter-flexors, pain severity, and disability level in patients with SIJD. Additionally, this study aims to compare the changes in the selected parameters after applying RW in addition to CSE versus applying CSE only in patients with SIJD.
- Conditions
- Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
- Being tested
- core stabilization exercises with backward walking, core stabilization exercises
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
core stabilization exercises with backward walkingBehavioural
core stabilization exercises will be performed followed by backward walking three times per week for six weeks.
core stabilization exercisesBehavioural
core stabilization exercises will be performed three times per week for six weeks. Each exercise will be repeated 15 times, with a brief rest interval of 3s between repetitions and 1-min between exercises.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental group | Experimental | Patients will perform core stabilization exercises combined with backward walking training. The intervention will be administered for 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Each session lasts for approximately 40-50 minutes. Receives: Behavioral: core stabilization exercises with backward walking; Behavioral: core stabilization exercises |
| Control group | Active comparator | Patients will perform core stabilization exercises only. The intervention will be administered for 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Each session lasts for approximately 20-30 minutes. Receives: Behavioral: core stabilization exercises with backward walking; Behavioral: core stabilization exercises |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Isokinetic peak torque of lower limb muscles
Biodex System 3 Multi-Joint system testing and rehabilitation (Biodex Medical system, Shirley, NY, USA) will be used to measure peak torques of hip extensors and abductors, in addition to knee extensors and ankle planter flexors at an angular velocity of 60°/sec.
Measured: The isokinetic peak torques of the four tested muscles will be measured at the beginning and after six weeks for the two tested groups
Pain intensity
Visual analog scale (VAS) will be used for measuring the pain intensity.
Measured: VAS pain score will be measured at the beginning and after six weeks for the two tested groups
Secondary outcomes (1)
Functional disability
Oswestry disability index (ODI) will be used for assessing pain related disability and quality of life
Measured: ODI score will be measured at the beginning and after six weeks for the two tested groups
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Nov 2026
- Study startDec 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionDec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionMar 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Sacroiliac Joint DysfunctionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Cairo UniversityThe 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
- Model description
- Participants are randomly assigned into two groups. Experimental group will receive core stabilization exercises combined with backward walking training, while control group will receive core stabilization exercises only.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Hasnaa Hamdy Abd-allah Salama, Cairo University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07917611
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- P.T.REC/012/005650
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 30 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 4 Nov 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Nov 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of Retro Walking on Isokinetic Peak Torque of Lower Limb Muscles in Patients With Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07917611
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- P.T.REC/012/005650
- Conditions
- Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Mar 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 4 Nov 2026 (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 goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effect of adding retro-walking (RW) to core stabilization exercises (CSE) on isokinetic peak torque of lower limb muscles, pain severity, and disability level in patients with sacroiliac joint dysfunction(SIJD).The main questions it aims to answer are:
Will there be any effect for the combined application of RW training and CSE on isokinetic peak torques of, hip extensors and abductors, knee extensors, and ankle planter-flexors, pain severity, and disability level in patients with SIJD? Will there be any difference between the combined application of RW training and CSE and the solo application of CSE on isokinetic peak torques hip extensors and abductors, knee extensors, and ankle planter-flexors, pain severity, and disability level in patients with SIJD?
Detailed description
One of the most overlooked sources of low back pain (LBP) is the sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SIJD). The reported prevalence of chronic mechanical LBP originating from the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) ranges from 15% to 30% with females being affected more than males. SIJ is the largest axial joint in the body that connects the spine to the pelvis and thus transfers load from the lumbar spine to lower extremities and vice versa. During weight bearing activities, the ankle, knee and hip act as a linked system minimizing the transmission of force to the pelvis and spine.
Some studies investigated electromyographic activity of gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and other lumbo-pelvic muscles in patients with SIJD. They found reduced activity of these muscles and delayed onset of activation in SIJD compared with the controls. Also, recent studies found there was a relation between pelvic, and lower limb injuries and SIJD.
Treatment of SIJ pain is variable, and there are no guidelines or an appropriate management plan for this dysfunction. Core Stabilization Exercises (CSE) are a common form of exercise therapy used to treat LBP and SIJD. Backward walking (BW) or retro-walking (RW) is a recently emerging exercise that helps enhance the balance, muscle strength of the lower limbs and hamstring flexibility. Reviewing the literature revealed that there was no study investigated the effect of BW training on lower limb muscles' strength, pain, and disability in patients with SIJD. Yet, there is a gap in literature regarding the effect of RW training on hip, knee, and ankle muscles' strength in such patients. Furthermore, the effect of adding RW training to CSE on such variables wasn't previously investigated. So, the current study will be conducted to fill this gap, by investigating the effect of adding RW to CSE on isokinetic peak torques of hip extensors and abductors, knee extensors, ankle planter-flexors, pain severity, and disability level in patients with SIJD. Additionally, this study aims to compare the changes in the selected parameters after applying RW in addition to CSE versus applying CSE only in patients with SIJD.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants are randomly assigned into two groups. Experimental group will receive core stabilization exercises combined with backward walking training, while control group will receive core stabilization exercises only.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental group | Experimental | Behavioral: core stabilization exercises with backward walking, Behavioral: core stabilization exercisesPatients will perform core stabilization exercises combined with backward walking training. The intervention will be administered for 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Each session lasts for approximately 40-50 minutes. |
| Control group | Active comparator | Behavioral: core stabilization exercises with backward walking, Behavioral: core stabilization exercisesPatients will perform core stabilization exercises only. The intervention will be administered for 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Each session lasts for approximately 20-30 minutes. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 20 to 40 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Age ranging from 20-40 years.
- pain lasting for more than 3 months
- ≥ 4 in diagnostic scoring system (Kurosawa et al., 2017).
- 3 or more positive provocative test of SIJ tests (distraction test, compression test, sacral trust, thigh trust test, gaenslen test).
- Pain in or around the sacroiliac region with or without leg pain.
Key exclusion criteria (10 listed)
- Midline or symmetrical pain above the level of L5 or radicular pain with neurological deficits (sensory or motor deficit).
- A history of spinal surgery, infection, tumors fracture of the spine, pelvis or lower extremities.
- Hospitalization for severe trauma or car accident.
- Pregnancy or lactation.
- Any systemic disease such as arthritis, tuberculosis.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| core stabilization exercises with backward walkingcore stabilization exercises will be performed followed by backward walking three times per week for six weeks. | Behavioural | Control group, Experimental group |
| core stabilization exercisescore stabilization exercises will be performed three times per week for six weeks. Each exercise will be repeated 15 times, with a brief rest interval of 3s between repetitions and 1-min between exercises. | Behavioural | Control group, Experimental group |
Primary outcome
Isokinetic peak torque of lower limb muscles
Time frame: The isokinetic peak torques of the four tested muscles will be measured at the beginning and after six weeks for the two tested groups
Biodex System 3 Multi-Joint system testing and rehabilitation (Biodex Medical system, Shirley, NY, USA) will be used to measure peak torques of hip extensors and abductors, in addition to knee extensors and ankle planter flexors at an angular velocity of 60°/sec.
Pain intensity
Time frame: VAS pain score will be measured at the beginning and after six weeks for the two tested groups
Visual analog scale (VAS) will be used for measuring the pain intensity.
1 secondary outcome
Functional disability
Time frame: ODI score will be measured at the beginning and after six weeks for the two tested groups
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 4 Nov 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing core stabilization exercises with backward walking and core stabilization exercises in people with Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction, run by Cairo University.
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 5 inclusion and 10 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Nov 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
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?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Isokinetic peak torque of lower limb muscles (time frame: The isokinetic peak torques of the four tested muscles will be measured at the beginning and after six weeks for the two tested groups). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. 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 4 Nov 2026.