iPOPP
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Increasing physical activity in older people with persistent musculoskeletal pain: A pragmatic, three-parallel-arm, individually randomised controlled trial, with parallel health economic and process evaluation: The iPOPP study.
IRAS ID
248131
Contact name
Clare Jinks
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Keele University
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN17816427
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 3 months, 0 days
Research summary
Physical activity (PA) improves pain and quality of life and reduces risk of further chronic illness in those with musculoskeletal pain. While increasing PA levels is a public health priority, the mechanisms to achieve this in older adults with chronic pain remain unclear. Walking is the most likely way all adults can achieve recommended levels of PA. However, there is a lack of research into the effectiveness of interventions to promote walking for older people with musculoskeletal pain. Arthritis Research UK funded a pilot trial aimed at increasing PA in older people with chronic pain (iPOPP).
The aim of the iPOPP main trial is to investigate whether either the iPOPP walking intervention (a brief behavioural intervention with a health care assistant) or a pedometer intervention (pedometer and activity diary sent in the post) are superior to usual primary care in terms of increasing average daily step count at 6 months in adults aged 65 years and over with persistent musculoskeletal pain.
Objective measures of physical activity (using accelerometers) will be collected prior to randomisation and at 3, 6 and 12 month* follow-up. Secondary objectives are to investigate pain, function, self-efficacy to exercise, quality of life, anxiety, depression, physical activity and health care use. We aim to randomise 1086 participants in a pragmatic, three-parallel-arm, assessor-blinded Randomised Controlled Trial comparing the effectiveness of usual primary care with the iPOPP walking intervention and the pedometer intervention. Comparisons between the iPOPP walking intervention and the pedometer intervention will only be carried out if both are found to be superior to usual care alone.The study includes a full health economic evaluation and process evaluation.
*subject to additional funding for 12 month follow-up
REC name
West Midlands - Edgbaston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/WM/0016
Date of REC Opinion
31 Jan 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion