Scientists conducting a study to help people manage chronic lower back pain are urging volunteers to take part.
The team, led by Kay Cooper from Robert Gordon University’s School of Health Sciences, is seeking members of the public aged 65 or over to trial a bespoke peer-support intervention.
To be eligible, people need to be living in or within 20 miles of Aberdeen and have chronic low back pain for which they are not currently receiving any formal treatment or investigations.
Peer-support, where assistance and encouragement is provided by an equal, has been used successfully to help people self-manage a range of other chronic health conditions.
The intervention is ideal for people who have recently been discharged from physiotherapy, as it is designed to be a stepping-stone between formal treatment and successful self-management.
Taking part in the research would involve being matched up with a trained peer support volunteer and receiving their support via six meetings or phone conversations over a two to three month period.
Dr Cooper said: “Low back pain affects around a third of over 65’s with many reporting chronic symptoms lasting for 12 weeks or longer.
“Treatment such as physiotherapy is widely available and can be very effective, but due to the nature of low back pain many people need to develop a long-term self-management strategy.”
If you are interested in taking part, contact Dr Cooper on 01224 262677 or email k.cooper@rgu.ac.uk
