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Brain zaps and exercise offer new hope for back pain sufferers

NCT ID NCT04555278

Symptom relief Sponsor: Hugo Massé-Alarie Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
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 This study
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), alone or combined with specific exercises, can reduce pain and disability in people with chronic low back pain. 140 adults with long-lasting back pain participated. The goal was to see if these treatments help manage symptoms better than usual care.

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.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

140 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Sep 2020

Finished

Mar 2024

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

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

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: * chronic low back pain, defined as "pain in the low back area with or without leg pain above the knee limiting activities or daily routine which has been present for more than 3 months"; * a minimal average pain intensity of 3 out of 10 during the preceding week on a pain numerical rating scale; * a minimal score of 10 points on the Oswestry disability index (ODI). Exclusion Criteria: * specific spinal pathology (fracture, tumor, radiculopathy, spinal infection, etc.); * a history of back surgery; * a major orthopedic, neurological, cardiovascular or psychiatric illness; * low back pain is not the main pain complaint; * currently using an exercise program to treat their LBP; * presenting with any specific TMS/rTMS-related exclusion criteria such as previous seizure/convulsion, cochlear implant, specific medication and pregnancy; * previous use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

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As listed by the trial registrant

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

Chronic low back pain

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • CIRRIS (Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Réadaptation et Intégration Sociale)

    Québec, Quebec, G1M 2S8, Canada

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