A Phase 3 interventional study of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) with PT and PT only in Fibromyalgia, sponsored by Kathleen Sluka. Completed at 6 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 99 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-10-29.
Sponsored by Kathleen Sluka · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
The purpose of this study is to determine if addition of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) to routine physical therapy improves movement-evoked pain in patients with fibromyalgia (FM).
The study will also determine if addition of TENS to routine physical therapy (PT) improves disease activity and symptoms, increases adherence to physical therapy, increases the likelihood of meeting patient specific functional goals, and reduces medication use.
This study is a pragmatic clinical trial in outpatient PT practices utilizing cluster randomization by healthcare system and facility size. Sites will be randomized to enroll all eligible and consented participants with FM to TENS with PT, or PT only (no TENS). We are identifying 25-35 clinics across 6 healthcare systems in both rural and urban settings. We will enroll 450 patients that self report a clinician diagnosis of FM. At each site, TENS (or no TENS) will be applied during each visit along with individualized PT treatment specified by the physical therapist. Participants randomized to TENS intervention sites will receive TENS units and electrodes at baseline to be applied to the cervical and lumbar regions. Participants will take the units home and bring the units back to their PT clinic visits with instructions for use at home while active and during their exercises. The physical therapist at each clinic will complete routine documentation of treatment. In addition to the primary and secondary outcomes, Electronic Health Record data variables will be collected as exploratory outcomes. Variables including adherence to treatment will be extracted from each site's Electronic Health Record. Patient-reported assessments will be obtained from the participant's at home the day of their second PT visit (Baseline) and at 30, 60 (primary outcome), 90, and 180 days following enrollment. The primary and secondary outcome assessments will be comparing TENS and no TENS groups in terms of changes from baseline to 60 days.
Participants will be identified after they are referred for PT for treatment of primary fibromyalgia (FM) or chronic pain (pain lasting more than three months). At their first (intake) physical therapy visit, they will be provided information about the study that can be accessed on paper or on-line. They will perform an electronic screening form on the first visit if interested in participating. Participants will provide e-consent after eligibility is confirmed at the initial PT visit. At the second PT visit after e-consent is signed, participants will be provided instructions on logging onto REDCap for data capture and accessing the case report forms. Participants enrolled at a TENS site will then be instructed in use of TENS and the TENS unit with electrodes will be provided. Those participants enrolled at a no TENS site will skip the instruction in use of TENS but will then receive instructions along with the TENS units at day 65. Participants will be instructed to capture all baseline assessments at home before their next PT visit before and following their first TENS treatment (or no TENS) at home (day 1). At 30, 60, 90, and 180 days following enrollment, participants will complete the same assessments at home including pain ratings at rest and with movement along with questionnaires. The primary and secondary outcome assessments will be comparing TENS and no TENS groups in terms of changes from baseline to 60 days.
1,336 studies on the registry are indexed under Fibromyalgia; 266 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 459 is above the median of 60 across 1,035 interventional studies indexed under Fibromyalgia.
Browse Fibromyalgia studies →Kathleen Sluka is the lead sponsor of 3 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
Contraindications to TENS use including:
TENS with PT group: The TENS with PT group will receive usual PT care and following enrollment, during the second PT visit, participants will receive TENS units and instruction on use of the TENS units. TENS will be applied to the upper and lower back with butterfly electrodes using the following parameters: mixed frequency (2-125Hz), strong but comfortable intensity, variable pulse duration from 100-250 microseconds. TENS to be applied when the patient is active and doing exercises at home and during PT sessions for 30 minutes at least 2 hours per day. The TENS with PT group will complete TENS use to the end of the study at 6 months.
Device: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) with PT
The No TENS group will receive usual PT care until the primary endpoint timeframe of 60 days. After completion of the research homework at 60 days, TENS units will be mailed to the participants and a study team member will complete virtual TENS instruction. The no TENS group will complete TENS to the end of the study at 6 months.
Other: PT only
Use of TENS units along with routine PT therapy
Routine PT therapy only
Reduction of movement-evoked pain (0-10 Low to High scale) during the Sit and Stand Test
Numeric rating scale of 0-10 for reduction of movement-evoked pain measured by 11-point NRS from baseline to 60 days.
Time frame: Research Homework before PT Visit 3 (Day 1), Day 60 +/- 5 days Home
Change in the resting pain score (0 - 10 Low to High scale)
The severity of pain will be measured on a 0 to 10 numeric rating scale where 0 is no-pain and 10 is worst pain imaginable.
Time frame: Research Homework before PT Visit 3 (Day 1), Day 60 +/- 5 days Home
Pain interference (BPI) (0-10 Low to High Scale)
11 items measuring pain severity and interference with daily activities on a 0-10 scale.
Time frame: Research Homework before PT Visit 3 (Day 1), Day 60 +/- 5 days Home
FM Disease activity (FIQR) (0-10 Low to High Scale)
21 items used to evaluate function, overall impact, and symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia.
Time frame: Research Homework before PT Visit 3 (Day 1), Day 60 +/- 5 days Home
Resting fatigue (NRS) (0-10 Low to High Scale)
The severity of fatigue will be measured with a 0 to 10 scale where 0 is no fatigue and 10 is worst fatigue imaginable.
Time frame: Research Homework before PT Visit 3 (Day 1), Day 60 +/- 5 days Home
Movement-evoked fatigue (NRS) (0-10 Low to High Scale)
Fatigue during a five times sit and stand test will be measured with a 0 to 10 numeric rating scale with 0 as no fatigue and 10 as the worst fatigue imaginable.
Time frame: Research Homework before PT Visit 3 (Day 1), Day 60 +/- 5 days Home
Multidimensional assessment of fatigue (MAF) (0-10 Low to High Scale)
16 items measuring fatigue according to four dimensions: degree and severity, distress that it causes, timing of fatigue, and impact on various activities of daily living.
Time frame: Research Homework before PT Visit 3 (Day 1), Day 60 +/- 5 days Home
Rapid assessment of physical activity (RAPA) (0-10 Low to High Scale)
9 items evaluating current level of physical activity.
Time frame: Research Homework before PT Visit 3 (Day 1), Day 60 +/- 5 days Home
Patient global impression of change (PGIC) (0-6 Scale)
Evaluates overall health status as perceived by the patient in a seven-point single-item scale ranging from 'very much worse' to 'very much improved'
Time frame: Day 60 +/- 5 days Home
Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.
Plan to share: Yes — The current study is expected to generate patient-reported outcomes for individuals with fibromyalgia across a broad spectrum of domains, pain, fatigue, function, psychological factors, and quality of life. We will also collect some data from the electronic health record about number of physical therapy visits, Current Protocol Terminology (CPT) codes for treatments, and the patient-specific functional scale. In addition, we will have TENS usage data downloaded from the TENS devices that will show the number of minutes of TENS use and the number of 30 minute sessions completed. Data will be collected prior to the intervention (baseline data) and 30, 60, 90 and 180 days after enrollment.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Sap, Icf, Csr
This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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