Low back pain affects most adults at some point, and for about 20% it becomes chronic. Treatment typically starts with physical therapy, pain medications, and lifestyle changes. When those don't work, options include injections, nerve blocks, and in severe cases, surgery.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing regenerative approaches like stem cells and platelet-rich plasma for disc problems, new nerve stimulation devices, different types of physical therapy, and medications that target pain pathways. Researchers are also studying which imaging findings matter and which surgeries actually help long-term.
Regenerative therapies
Studies are injecting stem cells or growth factors into damaged discs to see if they can restore cushioning and reduce pain. Results so far have been mixed, with some people improving and others seeing no benefit.
Nerve stimulation
New devices deliver electrical pulses to specific nerves or the spinal cord itself. Some are implanted, others worn externally, and trials are testing which patterns of stimulation work best.
Targeted physical therapy
Rather than generic back exercises, researchers are testing treatments matched to specific pain patterns. Studies compare cognitive behavioral approaches, motor control training, and graded activity programs.
What to know before you search
Eligibility usually depends on how long pain has lasted, what treatments you've already tried, imaging findings like disc herniation or stenosis, and whether pain radiates down the leg.
What types of trials are currently open
- Device trials — Testing spinal cord stimulators, nerve blocks, or wearable devices that deliver electrical stimulation or other physical interventions.
- Injection trials — Studies of stem cells, platelet-rich plasma, or medications injected into discs, joints, or around nerves.
- Physical therapy trials — Comparing different exercise programs, manual therapy approaches, or combined treatments to find what works best for specific types of back pain.
- Pain medication trials — Testing new drugs or drug combinations, often comparing them to standard options like NSAIDs or muscle relaxants.
- Surgery trials — Comparing surgical approaches to non-surgical treatment, or comparing different surgical techniques for disc problems or spinal stenosis.
Recently added Low Back Pain trials
Pre-Visit AI Symptom-Checking and Shared Decision-Making in Spine Physical Therapy
Artificial intelligence (AI) symptom-checking tools, including large language models such as ChatGPT, are increasingly used by patients before they seek care. These tools may shape patients' beliefs about their diagnosis, how serious they think their condition is, and when they decide to seek treatment. It is not yet known how this pre-visit AI use affects the initial physical therapy encounter for spine-related problems. This prospective observational cohort study examines whether prior use of AI symptom-checking tools influences the first physical therapy evaluation in adults presenting with spine-related musculoskeletal complaints (neck, thoracic, or low back pain, with or without radicular symptoms). Consecutive patients attending an outpatient physical therapy clinic for a new evaluation are grouped as AI users or non-AI users based on whether they used such a tool for their current complaint in the previous 30 days. The primary outcome is shared decision-making, measured with the SDM-Q-9 immediately after the initial evaluation. Secondary outcomes include stage of presentation, agreement between the patient's expected diagnosis and the clinician's classification, baseline pain and disability, functional performance, and clinical outcomes at 2 and 6 weeks. The investigators hypothesize that prior AI use is associated with differences in shared decision-making and in how patients present for care.
Spray and Stretch Technique Versus Strain Counter Strain in Patients With Non Specific Low Back Pain
Non-specific low back pain refers to pain in the lower back region that cannot be attributed to a specific identifiable pathology such as infection, tumor, osteoporosis, lumbar disc herniation, spinal stenosis or fracture. It is the most common type of low back pain, accounting for about 85-90% of cases. Non specific low back pain is posteriorly occurring that is located between lower rib margin and gluteal fold. It is exacerbated by sustained back postures, back movements or back muscle imbalances. The aim of study is to find out which technique whether Spray and stretch technique or strain Counter strain works better in reducing pain ,improving movement ,and decreasing disability caused by tight hamstring muscles in people with non specific low Back Pain.
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