Virtual Intervention for Vertebral frActure (VIVA): A rehab program for better recovery after spine fractures
Scientific Study Title:
Virtual Intervention for Vertebral fracture (VIVA): a pilot, feasibility study for a pragmatic hybrid implementation-effectiveness randomized controlled trial
Study Start Date: 2025
Study End Date: 2025
Why Do This Research?
Spine fractures are the most common type of fracture caused by osteoporosis. These injuries can happen during a fall, or even from simple everyday movements like bending to tie your shoes. Spine fractures cause pain and make it harder to do daily activities like move around, breathe, and eat. Currently, there is a shortage of rehabilitation plans for people with spine fractures, and rehab services can be expensive and hard to access, especially in rural or remote areas. Because of this, most spine fractures often go undiagnosed or untreated.
To help address this gap, our team created a virtual rehabilitation program called Virtual Intervention for Vertebral fracture (VIVA), designed for people who have had a spine fracture. Our team includes patients, health care providers, researchers, and partners like Osteoporosis Canada. This study will test whether VIVA can improve outcomes – like help reduce pain, improve mobility and quality of life, and be cost-effective for people with spine fractures.
What Will Be Done?
We plan to run this study at four locations in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia. Each location will try to recruit 8 participants with recent spine fractures caused by osteoporosis. Participants will be divided into two groups: one group will receive the VIVA intervention right away, and the other group will receive the VIVA intervention after 9 weeks. The VIVA intervention includes weekly virtual 1-on-1 sessions for 9 weeks. The VIVA intervention will involve pain management, safe movement, exercise, and nutrition.
Eventually, we want to trial VIVA on a larger scale. We may move forward with this larger future study if: 1) each site achieves their recruitment goals of 8 participants per site; 2) 80% of participants complete the study; and, 3) participants follow the exercise treatment 75% of the time.
Who is Involved?
The research team consists of researchers, rheumatologists, and exercise professionals (i.e., physical therapists, exercise physiologists, or kinesiologists). Hosted at the University of Waterloo, this study has four participating sites including: GERAS Health in Ontario, Unity Health in Ontario, Arthritis Research Canada/University of British Columbia in British Columbia, and McGill University Health Centre in Quebec.
Research Team
Principal Investigator for the British Columbia Recruitment Centre:
Raheem Kherani, BSc (Pharm), MD, MHPE, Clinician Investigator, Arthritis Research Canada (University of British Columbia)
Project Principal Investigators:
Lora Marie Giangregorio, PhD (University of Waterloo)
Sheila Brien, Osteoporosis Canada (Canadian Osteoporosis Patient Network)
Larry Funnell, Osteoporosis Canada
Suzanne N Morin, MD, M.Sc., FRCP, FACP (McGill University)Alexandra Papaioannou, BScN, MD, MSc, FRCPC, FACP (McMaster University)
Sharon E Straus, CM, MD, MSc, FRCPC (University of Toronto)
Project Co-Investigators:
Judi Laprade, MSc, PhD (University of Toronto)
Zach Weston, MSc, MBA (Wilfred Laurier University)
Lauren Beaupre, PhD, (University of Alberta)
Mohit Bhandari, MD, MSc, PhD, FRCSC (McMaster University)
Jenna C Gibbs, PhD (McGill University)
Heather H Keller, RD, PhD (University of Waterloo)
Caitlin McArthur, PhD (Dalhousie University)
Matteo Ponzano, PhD, PDF (University of British Columbia)*
Joanna E Sale, MSc, PhD (University of Toronto)
Lehana Thabane, MSc, PhD, (McMaster University)
Jenny E Thain, MD, FRCPC (Western University)
Sarah E Ward , MD, MSc (University of Toronto)
Timothy H Wideman, PhD (McGill University)
Christopher Witiw, MD, MS, FRCSC
Funding Agency
Canadian Institutes of Health Research Catalyst Grant: SPOR Innovative Clinical Trials (iCT).
Related Publications
Ponzano M, Tibert N, Brien S, Funnell L, Gibbs JC, Keller H, Laprade J, Morin SN, Papaioannou A, Weston ZJ, Wideman TH, Giangregorio LM. Development, Acceptability, and Usability of a Virtual Intervention for Vertebral Fractures. Phys Ther. 2023 Dec 6;103(12):pzad098. doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzad098. PMID: 37555708.
Sevinc A, Papaioannou A, Morin SN, Watt JA, Kherani RB, Brien S, Funnell L, Thabane L, Beaupre LA, Gibbs JC, Keller H, McArthur C, Ponzano M, Singh S, Straus S, Thain J, Weston ZJ, Wideman TH, Witiw CD, Giangregorio L. Virtual Intervention for Vertebral frActures (VIVA): protocol for a feasibility study of a multicentre randomized controlled trial. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2025 Jul 5;11(1):94. doi: 10.1186/s40814-025-01665-x. PMID: 40618179; PMCID: PMC12228205.
