“WALK30X5”: a feasibility study of a physiotherapy walking programme for people with mild to moderate musculoskeletal conditions

Objectives To explore the feasibility of delivering and evaluating a web-based walking intervention for people with long term musculoskeletal conditions (LTMCs), to determine its acceptability and the feasibility of conducting a definitive trial. Design Prospective randomised feasibility study, with blind outcome assessment at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Setting Hospital based physiotherapy service. Participants Forty one adults referred for assessment and advice for any mild/moderate LTMCs. doing Interventions Participants randomised to: 1. Usual care: one usual physiotherapy advice and assessment session, including setting a physical activity goal and one follow up session (8 weeks). 2. “Walk30 × 5”: session one, usual care plus intervention of walking programme. Participants were shown the website and podcasts and practiced how to use them. One follow up session (8 weeks). Outcome measures Primary: timed six minute walk test (T6MWT). Secondary: step count, self-reported pain, fatigue, mood, self-efficacy, happiness, objective blood pressure, peak expiratory flow rate, and self-report and accelerometer measured physical activity. Results Recruitment target achieved. No adverse events occurred. Adherence was high and the intervention acceptable. Loss to follow up n = 3 (7%) at 3 months, n = 8 (20%) at 6 months. T6MWT and step count proved suitable outcomes, unlike accelerometry. Estimated sample size for a definitive trial is 216. Conclusions “Walk30 × 5” is ready for evaluation in a future, appropriately powered (n = 216), phase III trial. If effective, the intervention will provide a cheap, highly accessible intervention to enable people with mild/moderate LTMCs to achieve UK physical activity guidelines.