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Meditation for Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain

Mindfulness-based Meditation for Older Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain Based on the Gut-brain Axis: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Who can join

Ages 50 to 89 · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

1. aged 50 years older
2. intact cognition (examined by the Mini-Mental State Exam, ≥ 24)
3. experiencing moderate low back pain daily or almost every day at least the previous three months (≥3 out of 10 on numeric rating scale \[NRS\])
4. able to speak and read English
5. not intent to change medication regimens for pain throughout the trial

Exclusion Criteria:

1. serious underlying illness (e.g., malignant neoplasms, bloodborne illness, low blood platelet count, been in chemotherapy)
2. psychosis
3. function limitation precluded the meditation practice
4. participated meditation program before
5. no access to the internet

About the study

This pilot randomized controlled trial aims to recruit 66 community-dwelling older adults with chronic low back pain and follow up them for 8 weeks. This study aims to test the preliminary effect of a mindfulness-based meditation (MBM) intervention on pain and symptoms among community-dwelling older adults with chronic low back pain, and also to test the effect of the MBM intervention on the host Gut-Brain Axis (GBA).

What is being tested

• Active MBM (behavioral)
• Sham MBM (behavioral)

Sponsor: Florida State University · Participants: 66 · Started: Sep 24, 2025

Contact the study team

• Jie Chen · Phone: (850) 645-0657

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06384001

Locations in the U.S.

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.