Internet and smartphone delivery of core trunk exercises for a randomised clinical trial: protocol

Background: Lumbopelvic stability exercises are commonly prescribed for athletes to prevent sportsinjury; however, there is limited evidence that exercises are effective. Exercise trials are timeconsuming and costly to implement when teaching exercises or providing feedback directly toparticipants. Delivery of exercise programs using mobile technology potentially overcomes thesedifficulties.Aims: To evaluate the qualitative clinical changes and quantitative movement pattern changes onlumbopelvic stability and injury in recreational athletes following exercise. It is hypothesised thatathletes who complete the stability training program will improve their clinical rating of lumbopelvicstability, quantitatively improve their movement patterns and have fewer injuries compared to thosewho complete the stretching program.Methods: One hundred and fifty recreational athletes will be recruited for the trial. Direct contactwith researchers will be limited to three movement test sessions at baseline, 12 weeks and 12 monthsafter baseline. Videoed performance of the tests will be accessed from an internet data storage site byresearchers for clinical evaluation of lumbopelvic stability. Those without good stability at baselinewill be randomly allocated to one of two exercise groups. The exercise programs will be delivered viathe internet. Feedback on correct performance of the exercises will be provided using a smartphonesoftware application. Injury will be monitored weekly for 12 months using text messages.Conclusion: The trial protocol will establish if an exercise training program improves lumbopelvicstability and reduces injury. Improvement in lumbopelvic stability following an exercise programdelivered with mobile technology will enable the provision of exercise programs to other athleteswho may be geographically remote from their exercise provider and establish a method forresearchers and health professions to use for exercise programs for individuals with other healthconditions.Trial Registration: ACTRN12614000095662