MyBack - A Behavior Change Informed Exercise Program to Prevent Low Back Pain Recurrences

MyBack - Effectiveness and Implementation of a Behavior Change Informed Exercise Program to Prevent Low Back Pain Recurrences: a Hybrid Effectiveness-implementation Randomized Controlled Study

Low Back Pain is a common heath condition with high rates of recurrence and huge associated costs. Research has focused its efforts on analysing the effects of interventions while knowledge about effective secondary prevention strategies is limited. MyBack study aims to analyse the effectiveness of a tailored exercise and behavioural change program (MyBack program) in the secondary prevention of low back pain, and evaluate acceptability, feasibility and determinants of implementation by the different stakeholders, as well as the implementation strategy of the MyBack program, through a hybrid type I, randomized, controlled and multicentre study of effectiveness and implementation in the context of primary health care.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Recovered (within the last 3 months) from an episode of non-specific LBP (with or without leg pain and of any duration)
• Recovery from an LBP episode is defined as having a pain score of "0" or "1" on a 11-point Numeric Pain Rating Scale for, at least, 30 consecutive days
• Age between 18 and 65 years;
• Read and speak the Portuguese language;
• Having a mobile phone capable of receiving and sending text messages;
• No medical contraindication to exercise.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis, or symptoms consistent with, severe depression or other psychiatric condition,
• Pregnancy
• Spinal surgery in the last 6 months