Mindfulness-based Meditation for Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain Based on the Gut-brain Axis: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Florida State University
Summary
This pilot randomized controlled trial aims to recruit 66 community-dwelling older adults with chronic low back pain and follow up them for 8 weeks. This study aims to test the preliminary effect of a mindfulness-based meditation (MBM) intervention on pain and symptoms among community-dwelling older adults with chronic low back pain, and also to test the effect of the MBM intervention on the host Gut-Brain Axis (GBA).
Description
Aim 1: to test the preliminary effect of a mindfulness-based meditation (MBM) intervention on pain and symptoms among community-dwelling older adults with chronic low back pain. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that our active mindfulness-based meditation intervention will be feasible and acceptable to community-dwelling older adults with chronic low back pain and improve pain and symptoms to a greater extent than older adults randomized to a sham mindfulness-based meditation group. Aim 2: to test the effect of the mindfulness-based meditation intervention on the host Gut-Brain Axis (GBA). Hypoth…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 50–89 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: 1. aged 50 years older 2. intact cognition (examined by the Mini-Mental State Exam, ≥ 24) 3. experiencing moderate low back pain daily or almost every day at least the previous three months (≥3 out of 10 on numeric rating scale \[NRS\]) 4. able to speak and read English 5. not intent to change medication regimens for pain throughout the trial Exclusion Criteria: 1. serious underlying illness (e.g., malignant neoplasms, bloodborne illness, low blood platelet count, been in chemotherapy) 2. psychosis 3. function limitation precluded the meditation practice 4. participated…
Interventions
- BehavioralActive MBM
The MBM is designed to be applied for 20 minutes per session daily for two weeks. The recording will instruct participants to close their eyes, connect to the openness of one's minds, and mindfully maintain and deepen the connection through breathing with more openness and awareness. The MBM intervention will include three recordings that gradually take the participant into a more profound meditation practice. Participants will be instructed to listen to Meditation 1 for the first three days of the intervention, then switch to Meditation 2 for days 4-6 and Meditation 3 for the remainder of the 2-week intervention. The participants will be asked to practice meditation for eight weeks (6 weeks after the initial two weeks of MBM practice).
- BehavioralSham MBM
The sham MBM intervention was also recorded. The sham recording will instruct participants to relax and take deep breaths every 3 minutes without the specific mindfulness-based instructions (e.g., practicing mindful attention to the breath in a non-evaluative manner). All other aspects of the sham MBM intervention (e.g., body position, time spent listening to instructions, eyes closed) will match the active MBM.
Location
- Florida State UniversityTallahassee, Florida