NCT04199091Completed
Craniosacral Therapy as a Self-help Strategy for Patients With Chronic Non-specific Back Pain
Craniosacral Therapy Versus Progressive Muscle Relaxation as Self-help Strategies for Patients With Chronic Non-specific Back Pain: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 24 Nov 2025
Brief summary (registry, in English)
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a non-manipulative, very gentle manual treatment method. Although the mechanisms of action have not yet been investigated sufficiently, initial clinical trials support CST efficacy/effectiveness in chronic pain disorders such as back pain, neck pain, and fibromyalgia. In clinical practice, therapists also report pain alleviating effects of CST self-help techniques, offered to patients within a group concept. Yet, the effectiveness of teaching CST self-help techniques to medical laypersons has not yet been scientifically investigated. Therefore, this study aims at collecting quantifiable data on the effectiveness and safety of a CST self-help group concept, developed for patients with chronic non-specific low back pain. The intervention group will receive 24 lessons of education and practice in CST self-help techniques over 12 weeks, while the control group will receive the same amount of self-help (education and practice) in progressive muscle relaxation. Six and 12 months after randomization, longer-term effects will be investigated.
- Status (registry)
- Completed
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 76 (actual)
- First submitted
- 9 Dec 2019
- Start date
- 1 Aug 2023
- Primary completion date
- 10 Jan 2025
- Lead sponsor
- Universität Duisburg-Essen
- NCT number
- NCT04199091
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Participants enrolled: 76
- From 1 Aug 2023 to the primary completion date, 10 Jan 2025
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- Regular use of corticosteroids, opiates, muscle relaxants, or antidepressants
Other illness
- Severe congenital or acute degenerative diseases
- Severe inflammatory musculoskeletal or rheumatic diseases
- Neurological diseases
- Acute severe comorbid mental illness or other acute severe comorbid somatic illness
Other
- Specific back pain due to:
- Status after actue trauma/whiplash
- Status after neoplasms in the area of the spinal column
- Pregnancy
- Current pension application
- Simultaneous participation in other clinical trials
Who the study is looking for
- Chronic non-specific / functional lower back pain for at least 3 months
- Functional impairment: minimal 11 and maximal 41 points on the ODI
- Willingness to participate in the group program and practice at home
Age in the registry: 18 years to - · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Center for Integrative Medicine and Planetary Health, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Essen | Germany | Unknown status |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.