Comparative Clinical Trial: Manual Therapy With and Without Radial Extracorporeal Shockwave Thera… (NCT06852898) | Clinical Trial Compass
WithdrawnNot Applicable
Comparative Clinical Trial: Manual Therapy With and Without Radial Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy to Treat Acute Low Back Pain
Stopped: No participants enrolled.
United States0Started 2025-06
Plain-language summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the addition of radial pulse therapy to chiropractic care will help adult patients recover faster to an acute bout of low back pain. Radial pulse therapy is the application of acoustic waves that passes through the skin to tissues and cells in the body. The main questions that the clinical trial aims to answer are:
* Does the addition of radial pulse therapy to chiropractic care result in better or earlier reduction in pain intensity?
* Does the addition of radial pulse therapy to chiropractic care result in better or earlier improvement in physical function?
Researchers will compare radial pulse therapy plus chiropractic care to chiropractic care alone to see if patients with acute low back pain recover faster with the addition of radial pulse therapy.
Participants will:
* Visit the clinic once a week for 5 weeks
* Receive chiropractic care with or without the addition of radial pulse therapy to the low back and hip regions of the body
* Report their pain intensity and perform a physical function test at each clinic visit
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 40 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. Biological sex of male or female
. Age Range: 18 to 40 years old
. Diagnosis of acute mechanical low back pain (\< 3 months duration)
. Pain intensity \> 3 on the 11 point NPRS with 0 "being no pain at all" to 10 "being worse pain possible" within the context of either "right now" or "at its worst during the past 7 days"
Exclusion criteria
. Subjects who are currently using over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve), or prescription NSAIDs to manage any medical condition.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Pain Intensity: Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)
Timeframe: From enrollment to the end of intervention at week 5.
2
Physical Function Assessment of a Squat Test
Timeframe: From enrollment to the end of intervention at week 5.
. Subjects who used oral corticosteroids that are only available by prescription to manage any medical condition within the past 6 weeks.
. Subject who received a corticosteroid injection for any medical condition within the past 6 weeks.
. Subjects who are not willing to be randomly assigned to either of the treatment interventions.
. Subjects with open wounds to the lower and mid back that will prevent the application of radial ESWT.
. Subjects with hypermobility and/or instability of the lower and mid back, which are contraindications for manual therapy.
. Subjects who have a case history of low back pain episodes, e.g., chronic or persistent occurrence of low back pain.
. Subjects who do not meet the differential diagnosis of acute mechanical low back pain, i.e., origin of their back pain is unknown or non-specific to a low back structure.