It's OK to move! Effect of a brief video on community confidence in activity despite back pain: A randomised trial.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the difference in confidence to become active despite low back pain in people who were exposed to one of two video interventions delivered on social media, compared to no intervention. DESIGN: A proof of concept three group randomised controlled trial, in a 1:1:1 ratio. METHODS: Participants aged 18 years and over, with and without low back pain, were recruited via the social media channel Facebook, to view either a humorous video, a neutral video or to no intervention. The videos were delivered online, explained evidence-based management for low back pain, and were designed to "go viral". The primary outcome was confidence in becoming active despite pain, measured using the Pain Self Efficacy Questionnaire(Item 10) [range from 0 (not at all confident) to 6 (completely confident)] immediately after watching the video. We aimed to capture the real-time impact and immediate reactions that contributed to the content's reach. RESULTS: Among 1933 randomized participants (mean [SD] age 58.9 [14.0] years, 1285 [75%] women) 1232 [70%] had low back pain and 88.8% completed the primary outcome. 1264 participants were randomised to receive a video intervention, and 633 participants did not receive a video. On a 6-point scale, individuals exposed to either video (n=1088) showed a mean confidence level 0.3 points higher (95% CI 0.1 to 0.6) compared with no video (n=630). CONCLUSION: Participants who viewed a brief video intervention reported a very small difference in confidence to become active despite low back pain, compared with no intervention. The difference may lack clinical relevance.