Sensorimotor effects of heatwrap and exercise in acute low back pain: results of a randomised controlled trial
- 1Universite Laval
Abstract
BackgroundHeatwrap is recommended for acute low back pain (ALBP), and previous research found heatwrap plus exercise more effective than each intervention alone. While recommended by clinical guidelines, their impact on mechanistic outcomes is unknown. This trial aimed to (i) assess immediate and short-term effects of heatwrap alone or combined with exercise, compared with a sham heatwrap, on pain sensitivity, lumbar muscle activity, current pain intensity, and trunk flexion range of motion, and (ii) explore whether changes in pain sensitivity and lumbar muscle activity are associated with changes in clinical symptoms from baseline to 1-week follow-up.
MethodsA randomised controlled trial took place at a single research center. Of 315 individuals screened for eligibility, 99 adults with ALBP were recruited and assigned to one of three intervention groups: heatwrap plus exercise (n=34), heatwrap alone (n=33) or sham heatwrap (n=32). Interventions were applied for one hour at the first visit, and immediate effects were measured. Then, interventions were applied for 7 days, and short-term effects were measured at 1-week follow-up. Outcomes included pressure pain threshold, temporal summation of pain, flexion-relaxation ratio, trunk range of motion and current pain intensity.
ResultsHeatwrap and exercise did not produce greater effects over time than heatwrap alone or a sham heatwrap on all outcomes, and changes in sensorimotor outcomes at one week were not associated with changes in symptoms.
ConclusionsHeatwrap and/or exercises did not influence specifically the potential sensorimotor mechanisms tested in individuals with ALBP.
Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov; registration number: NCT03986047
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BibTeX
@misc{picard2026sensorimotor,
title = {{Sensorimotor effects of heatwrap and exercise in acute low back pain: results of a randomised controlled trial}},
author = {C. Cote Picard and A. Desgagnes and J. Tittley and C. Mailloux and K. Perreault and C. Mercier and C. E. Dionne and J.-S. Roy and H. Masse-Alarie},
howpublished = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.64898/2026.08.31.26361841},
url = {https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.31.26361841v1},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Sensorimotor effects of heatwrap and exercise in acute low back pain: results of a randomised controlled trial
AU - C. Cote Picard
AU - A. Desgagnes
AU - J. Tittley
AU - C. Mailloux
AU - K. Perreault
AU - C. Mercier
AU - C. E. Dionne
AU - J.-S. Roy
AU - H. Masse-Alarie
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/31
PB - medRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.08.31.26361841
UR - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.31.26361841v1
AB - BackgroundHeatwrap is recommended for acute low back pain (ALBP), and previous research found heatwrap plus exercise more effective than each intervention alone. While recommended by clinical guidelines, their impact on mechanistic outcomes is unknown. This trial aimed to (i) assess immediate and short-term effects of heatwrap alone or combined with exercise, compared with a sham heatwrap, on pain sensitivity, lumbar muscle activity, current pain intensity, and trunk flexion range of motion, and (ii) explore whether changes in pain sensitivity and lumbar muscle activity are associated with changes in clinical symptoms from baseline to 1-week follow-up. MethodsA randomised controlled trial took place at a single research center. Of 315 individuals screened for eligibility, 99 adults with ALBP were recruited and assigned to one of three intervention groups: heatwrap plus exercise (n=34), heatwrap alone (n=33) or sham heatwrap (n=32). Interventions were applied for one hour at the first visit, and immediate effects were measured. Then, interventions were applied for 7 days, and short-term effects were measured at 1-week follow-up. Outcomes included pressure pain threshold, temporal summation of pain, flexion-relaxation ratio, trunk range of motion and current pain intensity. ResultsHeatwrap and exercise did not produce greater effects over time than heatwrap alone or a sham heatwrap on all outcomes, and changes in sensorimotor outcomes at one week were not associated with changes in symptoms. ConclusionsHeatwrap and/or exercises did not influence specifically the potential sensorimotor mechanisms tested in individuals with ALBP. Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov; registration number: NCT03986047
ER -