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A new tool aims to cut caregiver back injuries by teaching proper lifting technique

NCT ID NCT06013878

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 23, 2026 · Last updated Jul 24, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Millions of unpaid caregivers help move loved ones from bed to chair, but most have never been trained in safe lifting — and many end up with back pain. This study tests a new checklist called the Caregiver Assisted Transfer Technique Instrument (CATT) to see if it can reliably spot poor technique and whether a short training session with a clinician can improve how caregivers lift. Researchers will measure changes in lifting form and spinal stress in 160 caregiver-care recipient pairs.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
transfer training with a clinician
What this could lead to
If the tool proves reliable, it could give clinicians a quick, objective way to train caregivers in safer lifting, potentially reducing back pain and injuries.
What could go wrong
This is an early-stage validation study, not a treatment trial. The training may not prevent injuries in real-world settings, and results depend on how well the tool measures technique.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Participants

About 160 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Jul 2024

Expected to finish

Oct 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

A government agency

The lead sponsor is a US federal agency other than the NIH.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Who is studied

Caregivers and care recipients who are eligible for the study will be recruited through community locations, including rehabilitation facilities, organizations that provide services to both caregivers and individuals with physical disabilities, research registries for individuals with disabilities, and at at national and local rehabilitation events, disability conferences and expos.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: Individuals who use assistance with transfers and their caregivers will be recruited for this study. Caregiver participants will be included in the study if they meet the following criteria: 1. routinely provide transfer assistance to an adult with a physical disability 2. serving as a caregiver for at least 3 months 3. no formal didactic or structured training on assisted transfer techniques received as part of a professional degree or training program Care recipient participants will be included in the study if they meet the following criteria: 1. has a physical disability diagnosis for at least one year 2. requires assistance with transfers 3. currently receives care from an informal caregiver Exclusion Criteria: Caregiver participants will be excluded if they: 1\) have a current or recent history of back, neck, or other type of musculoskeletal injury within the last 6 months that would be exacerbated by performing an assisted transfer Care recipient participants will be excluded if they: 1. have existing pressure ulcers or a recent history of pressure ulcers within the last 3 months 2. have any recent upper extremity injuries (within the last 6 months) that could be exacerbated by being transferred

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Low Back Pain

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Biomechanics Informal caregivers Low back pain

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System University Drive Division, Pittsburgh, PA

    RECRUITING

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15240, United States

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