RCT of physiotherapy informed by ACT for CLBP: the PACT study

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    A randomised controlled trial of brief physiotherapy informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for chronic low back pain: the PACT study

  • IRAS ID

    137923

  • Contact name

    Emma Godfrey

  • Contact email

    emma.l.godfrey@kcl.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    King's College London

  • Research summary

    We have developed a short Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (called PACT) for physiotherapists to deliver and aim to compare it with usual physiotherapy care. We will recruit 240 people with chronic low back pain (CLBP) from three hospitals in South East London. They will be randomly divided into two groups, with half receiving PACT and the other half receiving ordinary physiotherapy. PACT consists of two hour long sessions and one follow-up phone call, meaning fewer hospital visits for patients and more time during sessions for individual treatment. It aims to encourage people to focus less on getting rid of their pain and more on moving forward with what is important in their lives. We will compare PACT with usual physiotherapy to see which is most successful at improving peoples ability to function and their quality of life and which approach helps them to manage their back pain best in the long term. If PACT is effective, we believe it could reduce he considerable burden of CLBP to patients, the NHS and society.

  • REC name

    South Central - Berkshire Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    14/SC/0277

  • Date of REC Opinion

    26 Jun 2014

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion