Back to search results

Feasibility Trial of Embedded Emergency Department Physical Therapy for Low Back Pain

This study is testing a new way to provide physical therapy for low back pain directly in the emergency department (ED). Instead of waiting weeks for an outpatient referral, a physical therapist would be available in the ED to start your care right away. This is being compared to "Usual Care," which is the standard treatment you would normally receive for low back pain in the ED. The study is looking at how many people complete follow-up surveys and how much data is missing from those surveys over 12 months. You might be able to join if you are 18 or older, have low back pain that started within the last 30 days, and visit one of the participating EDs between 8 am and 8 pm. The current recruitment status is unclear.

Study design
This is an interventional study with a planned enrollment of 140 participants. Two hospital emergency departments will be randomly assigned to either receive the embedded physical therapy intervention or usual care.
What's involved
You would complete surveys over a 12-month period to assess your pain and how it interferes with your daily life.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be followed for 12 months after starting the study to collect survey data.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT07224945

A Multi-Site Feasibility Trial of Embedded Emergency Department Physical Therapy

Recruiting
NAAges 18+InterventionalTreatment
Northwestern University
~140 participants
Updated 2026-01-06 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Embedded Emergency Department Physical TherapyUsual Care

At a glance

Recruiting sites
2 of 2 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Longitudinal participant surveys (effectiveness): missing data rate for the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-Pain Interference (PI) assessment.
Measured over 12 months
+5 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Low Back Pain

Explore related trials

Lower Back Pain

Where it's being run

2 sites across 2 states
Illinois1
Utah1

Who to contact

Howard Kim, MD, MS
[email protected]
312-926-0591
Email the study team

Opens a ready-to-send draft in your own email app — review before sending.

Do you actually qualify for this trial?

Add a private profile and we'll compare every criterion below against your situation — and tell you which ones are met, uncertain, or excluding.

Check eligibility for this trial ~2 min · HIPAA-protected · delete anytime
Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Emergency Department (ED) visit with primary diagnosis related to low back pain
ED visit occurring at an ED site participating in randomization (Northwestern Memorial Hospital, University of Utah Hospital)
ED visit check-in time during the hours of 8am-8pm
Current episode of low back pain less than or equal to 30 days, defined as pain between the 12th rib and buttocks
Age greater than or equal to 18 years; there is no age maximum
English or Spanish-speaking

Exclusion

"Red flag" symptoms indicating a life or limb-threatening process
Currently in police custody
Unable to consent
Known pregnancy

What this trial measures

  • Longitudinal participant surveys (effectiveness): missing data rate for the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-Pain Interference (PI) assessment.12 months

    Rate of missing data for assessments administered between baseline and 12 months. Variable type: binary / proportion.

  • Longitudinal participant surveys (effectiveness): screening-to-enrollment ratioBaseline

    Number of participants who enter screening compared to the number of participants who enroll in the study. Variable type: binary / proportion.

  • Longitudinal participant surveys (effectiveness): participant retention rate defined as completion of at least one follow-up survey.12 months.

    Ratio of participants enrolled to the number who complete at least one follow-up survey.

  • Electronic Health Record (EHR) extraction (implementation): adoption of Emergency Department (ED) physical therapyBaseline

    Adoption is defined as the number of potentially eligible low back pain ED visits have a documented order for a physical therapy evaluation. Cross-sectional at the level of site/Emergency Department during the trial. Variable type: Proportion.

  • Electronic Health Record (EHR) extraction (implementation): fidelity of Emergency Department (ED) physical therapyBaseline

    Fidelity is defined as the number of low back pain ED visits that have a structured research note documenting use of the protocol. Cross-sectional at the level of site/Emergency Department (ED) during the trial. Variable type: proportion.

  • Clinician surveys before and after implementation of the intervention (implementation): Normalisation Measure Development Questionnaire (NoMAD) questionnaire scores1-6 months prior to opening study to accrual and 1-6 months after the last participant enrolls at the site.

    1-6 months prior to opening study to accrual and 1-6 months after the last participant enrolls at the site. Variable type: continuous.