Mindful Walking in Low Back Pain

Effectiveness of a a Mindful Walking Program in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain - a Randomized Controlled Trial

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a mindful walking program is effective in the treatment of patients with chronic low back pain.

Inclusion Criteria:

• male and female, 18-65 years
• chronic low back pain (disease duration > 3 months)
• pain intensity on visual analogue scale at inclusion > 40 mm (0-100 mm scale)
• only pharmacological treatment with NSAID or no treatment in the last 4 weeks
• undersigned informed consent form

Exclusion Criteria:

• active walking or jogging in the last 6 weeks (< 60 minutes/week)
• regular meditation, relaxation exercise, mindfulness exercise in last 6 weeks (> 30 minutes per week)
• use of complementary medicine therapies as acupuncture, homeopathy, herbal medicine in last 6 weeks or planned in the next 12 weeks
• use of other nonpharmacological therapies as physical therapy, manual therapy or osteopathy in the last 4 weeks
• participation in another trials within the last 3 months
• pathological neurological symptoms such as muscular paralysis or paraesthesia due to spinal disc herniation or other causes
• risk of falls and inability to walk
• angina pectoris in the last 3 months
• chronic respiratory disease with respiratory insufficiency
• intake of central nervous system-acting analgesics in the last 6 weeks
• Known renal and / or hepatic diseases
• Severe organic, psychological or psychiatric disorders that are not permitting a study participation
• applying for early retirement due to low back pain
• no undersigned informed consent form