Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26736024›Full record

Trial reportThe Clinical journal of pain2016

Trunk Muscle Training Augmented With Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Appears to Improve Function in Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Preliminary Trial.

Gregory E Hicks, Jaclyn M Sions, Teonette O Velasco, Tara J Manal

3 registry-linked trialsOpen access · greenAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in The Clinical journal of pain, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 3 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 36 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
36citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
4.9field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT02812459 nacompletednot on this map

Short-term Effectiveness of Additional Electrical Stimulation to Exercise Versus Kinesio Taping in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversidad de GranadaRan2016 to 2018Enrolled62ConditionsChronic Low Back PainArmsKinesio taping, Electrical Stimulation
NCT03786627 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2019, after this paper: background citation

The Effect of Combined Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation and Motor Control Training on Lumbar Multifidus Muscle Activation in Individuals With Impaired Lumbopelvic Control

TypeinterventionalSponsorMahidol UniversityRan2019 to 2022Enrolled50ConditionsInstability, BackArmsCombined NMES and motor control, Motor control and placebo NMES
NCT05156242 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2021, after this paper: background citation

Corticospinal and Motor Behavior Responses After 6-week Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Combined With Motor Control Exercises in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain

TypeinterventionalSponsorMahidol UniversityRan2021 to 2024Enrolled96ConditionsLow Back PainArmsActive-tDCS priming MCE, Sham-tDCS priming MCE, NMES priming MCE, Conventional physical therapy
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

36 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 49 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Advances in physiotherapy for chronic low-back pain: a level I systematic review.Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology : official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Impact of education in patients undergoing physiotherapy for lower back pain: a level I systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2025
    Pooled it
  3. Effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy on pain intensity and disability in older people with chronic nonspecific low back pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2023
    Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Trial
  7. Trial
  8. Article
  9. Clinical Characterization of Hip Subgroups in Geriatric Chronic Low Back Pain.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation · 2025
    Article
  10. Active and passive physical therapy in patients with chronic low-back pain: a level I Bayesian network meta-analysis.Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology : official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology · 2025
    Article
  11. Review
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. [Aspects of multimodal pain therapy in old age].Zeitschrift fur Gerontologie und Geriatrie · 2021
    Article
  19. Interventions for the Management of Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain: Revision 2021.The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy · 2021
    Article
  20. Musculoskeletal pain in Parkinson's disease: a narrative review.Neurodegenerative disease management · 2021
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Gregory E HicksDepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE.
Jaclyn M Sions
Teonette O Velasco
Tara J Manal
University of Delaware · US

Funding

MULTICENTER CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR PHYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPYK12HD055931 · NICHD · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI HAYES, MARCIE HARRIS · 2007 to 2021
$12.7M
Trunk Muscle Training+NMES: Improving Function in Elders With Chronic Back PainR21HD057274 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE · PI HICKS, GREGORY E · 2008 to 2009
$421k
NICHD NIH HHS K12 HD055931NICHD NIH HHS R21 HD057274
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo assess the feasibility of a trial to evaluate a trunk muscle training program augmented with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (TMT+NMES) for the rehabilitation of older adults with chronic low back pain (LBP) and to preliminarily investigate whether TMT+NMES could improve physical function and pain compared with a passive control intervention. MATERIALS AND

methodsWe conducted a single-blind, randomized feasibility trial. Patients aged 60 to 85 years were allocated to TMT+NMES (n=31) or a passive control intervention (n=33), consisting of passive treatments, that is, heat, ultrasound, and massage. Outcomes assessed 3- and 6-month postrandomization included Timed Up and Go Test, gait speed, pain, and LBP-related functional limitation.

resultsFeasibility was established by acceptable adherence (≥80%) and attrition (<20%) rates for both interventions. Both groups had similar, clinically important reductions in pain of >2 points on a numeric pain rating scale during the course of the trial. But, only the TMT+NMES group had clinically important improvements in both performance-based and self-reported measures of function. In terms of the participants' global rating of functional improvement at 6 months, the TMT+NMES group improved by 73.9% and the passive control group improved by 56.7% compared with baseline. The between-group difference was 17.2% (95% confidence interval, 5.87-28.60) in favor of TMT+NMES. DISCUSSION: It seems that a larger randomized trial investigating the efficacy of TMT+NMES for the purpose of improving physical function in older adults with chronic LBP is warranted.

Indexed as

Electric Stimulation TherapyExercise TherapyAgedAged, 80 and overBack PainFeasibility StudiesFemaleHot TemperatureHumansLow Back PainMaleMassageMiddle AgedMuscle, SkeletalPreliminary DataSingle-Blind Method

Identifiers

PMID26736024
PMCPMC4935645
OpenAlexW2237859718

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.