Cash rewards and coaching put to the test for Post-Surgery walking
NCT ID NCT07825480
First seen Sep 17, 2026 · Last updated Sep 18, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Many people with lumbar spinal stenosis get pain relief from decompression surgery but still do not walk more afterward. This pilot trial tests whether a behavioral program can change that. Researchers randomly assign 75 patients aged 40 to 85 to either the program, which pairs motivational interviewing coaching with small payments for wearing a wrist activity tracker, or a control group that only gets a Fitbit. The study measures daily steps, physical activity minutes, and disability scores over about eight months to see if the program is practical and shows promise.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- A behavioral program combining motivational interviewing coaching with small financial rewards for wearing an activity tracker
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could give spine surgery patients a practical way to build a lasting walking habit and stay independent. The same approach might be adapted for other surgeries where recovery stalls.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study of 75 people, so it mainly tests whether the program is practical and acceptable, not whether it changes long-term health. Participants must meet strict criteria, and results may not apply to other patients or other surgeries.
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 75 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Sep 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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40 to 85 years
- 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: * Age: 40-85 years * Scheduled to undergo a decompressive lumbar laminectomy with or without concomitant lumbar fusion * LSS is principal diagnosis for lumbar decompression surgery * Passes the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) * Agrees to all study technology requirements * Able to wear the ActiGraph for ≥ 4/7 days for ≥ 10 hours per day during pre-screening * Average baseline steps/day \< 6,000 during pre-screening assessment period Exclusion Criteria: * Lives in a nursing home * Non-English speaking * Uses a wheelchair for all ambulation * Has a physical condition resulting in inability to walk or makes walking -unstable * Diagnosis of dementia, epilepsy, Parkinson's Disease, or peripheral neuropathy with documented gait or balance disturbance of falls related to the condition * Has psychological issues that preclude participation * Surgeon-documented other reason for study exclusion * Primary indication for surgery is not lumbar spinal stenosis (this could include primary or metastatic tumor, spine infection, or sagittal deformity issues) * Has an inpatient or musculoskeletal surgery scheduled within the 6 months following lumbar decompression surgery * Has a history of past spine surgery within one year of date of pre-screen * Has a history of more than one spine surgery in the zone of proposed surgery
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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
1 site. 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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Mass General Brigham
Boston, Massachusetts, 02139, United States