Clinical Trial: Worksite Exercise Interventions for Low Back Injury Prevention in Firefighters

Study Status: Enrolling by invitation
Recruit Status: Enrolling by invitation
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Worksite Exercise Interventions for Low Back Injury Prevention in Firefighters

Brief Summary:

Purpose and Aims: The purpose of this study is to assess the clinical effectiveness of back and core exercise interventions for low back injury prevention in firefighters. Aim 1. Compare the effectiveness of 2 worksite exercise interventions (supervised, web-based) relative to control to reduce lost work days related to low back injury and illness in firefighters.

Relevance: Low back injury is one of the most common and disabling disorders in firefighters. Thus, novel interventions are needed to counteract the adverse consequences of this disorder and its impact on firefighter safety.

Methods: A cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted in career, full active duty firefighters (n = 345) who will be randomly assigned (by fire station) to 1 of 3 intervention groups - 1) supervised exercise (n = 115), 2) web-based exercise (n = 115), or 3) control (n = 115). Participants in the supervised and web-based exercise groups will perform back and core exercises previously tested in our recent FEMA-funded grant (EMW-2009-FP-00418), twice per week for 12 months while on duty, in addition to their usual physical fitness routine - The supervised group will perform exercise under direct supervision of certified exercise specialists, and the web-based group will utilize a web-based exercise system. The control group will not perform back and core exercises, but will continue their usual physical fitness routine and receive brief education on general exercise and physical activity principles. Outcome measures include low back injury and illness data obtained and cross-checked from various sources, other standard clinical outcome measures for low back pain and disability, and validated physical fitness tests.

Anticipated Outcomes: We hypothesize that the supervised and web-based

Detailed Summary:

Low back injury is one of the most common and disabling disorders in firefighters (IAFF, 2008). Thus, novel interventions are needed to counteract the adverse consequences of this disorder and its impact on firefighter safety. Our long-term research objective is to develop and test interventions to reduce the incidence, morbidity, economic, and other adverse consequences of low back injury and illness in firefighters. Our previous studies funded by the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program demonstrated that: 1) a relationship exists between poor back muscular endurance and increased prevalence of low back pain in firefighters (Verna, 2010); and 2) a worksite intervention including back and core exercise training is safe and effective in improving back and core muscular endurance in firefighters (Mayer, 2015). The purpose of the current study, which builds upon our previous work, is to assess the clinical effectiveness of back and core exercise interventions for low back injury prevention in firefighters.

Specific Aims (Purpose) Aim 1. Compare the effectiveness of 2 worksite exercise interventions (supervised, web-based) relative to control to reduce lost work days related to low back injury and illness in firefighters.

Hypotheses: Primary - The supervised exercise intervention will reduce the number of lost work days related to low back injury and illness over the 12-month intervention period by 40% compared with control. Secondary - The web-based exercise intervention will reduce the number of lost work days related to low back injury and illness over the 12-month intervention period by 40% compared with control. No difference between the supervised and web-based exercise interventions in lost work days will be observed.

To test the hypotheses, a 3-arm, cluster ran
Sponsor: University of South Florida

Current Primary Outcome: Mean number of lost work days per participant over a 12-month period due to work-related injury or illness in the low back region [ Time Frame: 12 months ]

Original Primary Outcome:

  • Mean number of lost work days per participant over a 12-month period due to work-related injury or illness in the low back region [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
  • Incidence rate of lost work days due to work-related injury or illness in the low back region [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
  • Number of episodes of lost work days due to work-related injury or illness in the low back region [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
  • Time to event of an episode of lost work days due to work-related injury or illness in the low back region [ Time Frame: 12 months ]


Current Secondary Outcome:

  • Incidence rate of lost work days due to work-related injury or illness in the low back region [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
  • Time to event of an episode of lost work days due to work-related injury or illness in the low back region [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
  • Number of episodes of lost work days due to work-related injury or illness in the low back region [ Time Frame: 12 months ]


Original Secondary Outcome:

Information By: University of South Florida

Dates:
Date Received: February 6, 2015
Date Started: March 2016
Date Completion: July 2017
Last Updated: March 1, 2016
Last Verified: February 2016