Can a smartphone app curb opioid use after spine surgery?
NCT ID NCT07737912
First seen Jul 30, 2026 · Last updated Jul 31, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether a web-based app called SpinePal is usable and acceptable for people recovering from spine surgery. The app offers pain education, cognitive-behavioral skills, mindfulness, and guided imagery. Ten participants scheduled for lumbar or cervical fusion will use the app for two weeks before and four weeks after surgery, wear a smartwatch, and complete questionnaires. The goal is to see if the app is practical and well-liked enough to study further as a tool to reduce persistent opioid use.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- a web-based app called SpinePal that provides pain education, cognitive-behavioral skills, mindfulness, and guided imagery
- What this could lead to
- If SpinePal is found usable and acceptable, it could point toward a non-drug tool to help people manage pain and reduce opioid use after spine surgery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small early study with only 10 participants, focused on usability and feasibility — not on whether the app actually reduces opioid use. The app may not work for everyone or may be difficult to use consistently.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine
Lebanon, New Hampshire, 03766, United States
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