Comparison of the Order of Treatment in Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Status:
Withdrawn
Trial end date:
2017-12-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Patients with back pain with spinal stenosis of the lower back will be asked to volunteer for
this research study. These patients don't need immediate surgery for this problem. Treatment
of this kind of back pain with spinal stenosis usually includes physical therapy exercises
and steroid injections. Both treatments are usually helpful in patients with back pain with
spinal stenosis. However, physicians and other healthcare providers don't know which
treatment is better to give first. The purpose of this research is to answer that question.
Patients enrolled in this study will receive both treatments: physical therapy (PT) and a
steroid injection ("shot"). However, patients may get the shot first followed by PT, or they
may have PT first, followed by the shot. Their time in this study will last up to 6 months,
and there will be five outcome measurements (via visits or telephone). All study visits will
take place at the Atlanta VA Medical Center (Atlanta VA). Investigators hope to enroll about
120 subjects from the Atlanta VA. Enrolled patients will be randomized using a randomization
computer program.