New study: could starting PT right away get young athletes back in the game faster?
NCT ID NCT05505981
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tested whether starting physical therapy immediately after diagnosis helps adolescent athletes with spondylolysis (a stress fracture in the lower back) recover better than waiting until pain goes away. Sixty-four athletes aged 10-19 were randomly assigned to either immediate PT or standard rest. The study measured function, pain, quality of life, and time to return to sport to see if the immediate approach is feasible and tolerable.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- immediate physical therapy (functional progression program)
- What this could lead to
- If this works, it could show that starting physical therapy right away helps adolescent athletes with spondylolysis recover faster and return to sports sooner.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study with only 64 participants, so results may not apply to all athletes. The approach is new and needs larger trials to confirm benefits.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Children's Hospital of Colorado
Denver, Colorado, 80045, United States
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Nationwide Children's Hospital
Columbus, Ohio, 43215, United States
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