ER physical therapy could cut opioid use for back pain
NCT ID NCT07224945
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study places a physical therapist directly in the emergency department to treat low back pain right away, instead of sending patients to an outside clinic. Researchers want to see if this approach is practical and can be done at multiple hospitals. The trial will enroll 140 adults with recent low back pain at two hospitals.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- embedded emergency department physical therapy
- What this could lead to
- If this model works, it could provide faster, more effective care for low back pain and reduce reliance on opioids.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small feasibility study, not designed to prove effectiveness. The intervention may not improve outcomes or be practical in other hospitals.
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
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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
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About 140 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jan 2026
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: * Emergency Department (ED) visit with primary diagnosis related to low back pain * ED visit occurring at an ED site participating in randomization (Northwestern Memorial Hospital, University of Utah Hospital) * ED visit check-in time during the hours of 8am-8pm * Current episode of low back pain less than or equal to 30 days, defined as pain between the 12th rib and buttocks * Age greater than or equal to 18 years; there is no age maximum * English or Spanish-speaking Exclusion Criteria: * "Red flag" symptoms indicating a life or limb-threatening process * Currently in police custody * Unable to consent * Known pregnancy
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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
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Northwestern Memorial Hospital
RECRUITINGChicago, Illinois, 60611, United States
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University of Utah
RECRUITINGSalt Lake City, Utah, 84112, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Radiofrequency device tested as Add-On for stubborn back pain
- Back muscles hold clues for treating recurrent low back pain
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- Can yoga ease back pain when recovery looks unlikely?
- Can a second injection target the source of stubborn back pain?