We aimed to investigate the short-term effectiveness of the self-management App on CLBP as an interim analysis. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial. 19 eldercare workers joined the study (median age: 47 years old, female: 89%). Intervention group (N=10) used the App, “Pocket Therapist” (BackTech Inc.). The App has several functions; 1) man-to-man chat support by physical therapist, 2) red & yellow flag screening, 3) LBP phenotype assessment, 4) self-monitoring by pain & physical activity log, 5) tailor-made exercise program, 6) pain education. Control group (N=9) was the waiting-list. We analyzed data from baseline to 3 months. Primary outcome was pain intensity by brief pain inventory (BPI). We performed multilevel analysis to investigate the effectiveness of the App, clustering for individual. Total and maximum pain intensity was significantly improved in intervention group compared to control group. The study showed the short-term effectiveness of App on CLBP.

EFFECTIVENESS OF SELF-MANAGEMENT APP FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN: A PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL