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Active, not recruitingNCT06749574Updated Feb 4, 2025

Effectiveness of Stability Ball Training, Dead Bug Exercises, and Their Combination on Reducing Specific Low Back Pain

An interventional study of stability ball exercises and dead bug exercise in Radiculopathy Lumbar, sponsored by Superior University. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to participants aged 30 Years to 50 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-02-04.

Sponsored by Superior University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Diagnostic

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 10 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Feb 2024, registered Dec 2024).
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
63
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
30 Years to 50 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

This study is a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) focused on individuals aged 30 to 50 with acute specific low back pain (lumbar radiculopathy). Participants will be divided into three groups: one performing stability ball exercises, one doing dead bug exercises, and the third group combining both types of exercises.

Read the detailed description

The study aims to assess the effectiveness of these regimens in reducing pain and improving quality of life. The trial will be conducted at Sheikh Zayed Hospital and Alara Health Care Clinic, with simple random sampling used to assign participants. The study will run for 6 months, with follow-up assessments at 1, 4, and 8 weeks.

02

Conditions studied

  • Radiculopathy Lumbar
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In context

Radiculopathy

488 studies on the registry are indexed under Radiculopathy; 141 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 63 is close to the median of 60 across 376 interventional studies indexed under Radiculopathy.

Browse Radiculopathy studies →

Lead sponsor

Superior University is the lead sponsor of 242 studies on the registry; 24 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
30 Years to 50 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • participants aged 30 to 50 years with a specific diagnosis of acute lumbar radiculopathy lasting less than three months but severe enough to impair daily activities were included in the study.
  • They were required to provide informed consent and agree to adhere to the study procedures,
  • including attending sessions and completing evaluations. Eligibility was limited to those without other physical conditions, such as joint replacements or fractures,
  • that could interfere with the ability to perform stability ball or dead bug exercises. Individuals who had participated in similar therapeutic exercises, such as stability ball training or core strengthening, within the last six months were excluded to ensure the results reflected the intervention's impact rather than prior training effects.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria:

  • included participants with severe musculoskeletal or cardiovascular disorders, such as spinal surgery, herniated discs, scoliosis, fractures, or osteoarthritis, due to the potential risks associated with exercise.
  • Pregnant women were excluded as balance-related activities, like stability ball exercises, could pose safety concerns. Individuals using pain medications, particularly opioids or muscle relaxants, were excluded to avoid interference with exercise performance or altered pain perception.
  • Participants who had undergone back surgery within the last six months, or those currently undergoing other physical therapy or treatments for back pain, such as physiotherapy or chiropractic care, in the previous month were also excluded
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Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Diagnostic
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
63 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Stability ball Training

    Diagnostic Test: stability ball exercises

  • Experimental
    Dead bug training:

    Diagnostic Test: dead bug exercise

  • Active comparator
    Combined Group

    Combination Product: Combined Groupo

Interventions

  • Diagnostic teststability ball exercises

    articipants in the first group performed stability ball exercises designed to enhance balance, core stability, they were introduced to the stability ball with instructions on maintaining proper posture, alignment, and safety to prevent injuries. The program included exercises such as the Stability ball bridging, stability ball bird dog and stability ball pelvic tilts were included to activate the lower abdominal muscles and glutes through gentle, controlled movements

  • Diagnostic testdead bug exercise

    The second group focused on dead bug exercises, Participants performed exercises such as extending one arm and the opposite leg while lying on their backs, ensuring their spine remained neutral and their lower back stayed pressed into the floor. Variations included alternating opposite arm and leg movements and holding the extended position to increase the challenge and enhance core stability. These exercises were performed slowly to maintain control and improve movement precision over the eight-week period

  • Combination productCombined Groupo

    The third group combined stability ball and dead bug exercises for a comprehensive training approach targeting both core stability and balance. Participants alternated between dead bug exercises, which required controlled arm and leg extensions while lying on their backs, and stability ball exercises such as the ball with bridging and bird dog. Throughout the eight weeks, participants were encouraged to maintain proper posture, alignment, and a neutral spine during all activities to ensure safety and effectiveness

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Visual Analog Scale

    The VAS (Visual Analog Scale) is used for pain assessment. It consists of a vertical line, with the words 'No pain' at the bottom end corresponding to a VAS of 0, and 'Worst pain possible' at the top end corresponding to a VAS of 10.

    Time frame: 12 Months

  2. SF-12 (Short Form 12-Item Health Survey)

    widely used questionnaire designed to assess health-related quality of life. It is a concise version of the SF-36, retaining 12 carefully selected questions that measure physical and mental health domains. The SF-12 evaluates eight health components: physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health problems, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role limitations due to emotional health problems, and mental health.Responses from the SF-12 are used to generate two summary scores: the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and the Mental Component Summary (MCS). These scores provide a quantitative measure of an individual's physical and mental well-being, respectively. The PCS focuses on physical health aspects like mobility and pain, while the MCS emphasizes emotional health and social functioning.

    Time frame: 12 Months

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Sheikh Zayed Hosp and Alara Health Care Clinic
    Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
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References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Feb 4, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06749574
Lead sponsor
Superior University
Responsible party
Muhammad Naveed Babur (Principal Investigator, Superior University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Dec 27, 2024
Start date
Feb 15, 2024
Primary completion
Jul 10, 2024
Completion
Mar 2, 2025 (estimated)
Last update
Feb 4, 2025

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Feb 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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