Effectiveness of mindfulness meditation on the quality of life, pain intensity, mobility and physical function in adults with chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Sam Safavi‐Abbasi, Elisa Venezia, Michael E. Sughrue, Payam Dibaj
Discover Psychology December 5, 2025 DOI: 10.1007/s44202-025-00525-2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Patients with chronic lower-back pain |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Meta-analysis Funnel plot Randomized controlled trial Mindfulness meditation Physical therapy Confidence interval Systematic review Publication bias Chronic pain Medline Clinical trial Mindfulness-based stress reduction Placebo |
| Key findings | Mindfulness meditation is associated with significant improvements in pain reduction and quality of life but not physical function compared to standard care in chronic lower-back pain. |
Abstract
To evaluate recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on mindfulness meditation in clinical settings to assess effects on pain reduction, mobility, quality of life, and physical function in patients with chronic lower-back pain (CLBP). In this systematic review and meta-analysis, a literature search was conducted using the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcomes (PICO) framework. Mindfulness meditation was compared to control or usual care. Data from RCTs published between January 2010 and January 2025 were extracted from Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Studies were selected following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines; risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB 2) tool. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager (RevMan). Mean difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for outcomes such as pain intensity, physical function, and quality of life. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic. Forest plots summarized effect sizes, and funnel plots assessed publication bias. Of 204 identified citations, seven RCTs met eligibility criteria. The pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) for pain outcomes was − 1.01 (95% CI: − 1.77 to − 0.25; p < 0.00001), while quality of life showed an SMD of − 0.57 (95% CI: 0.15 to 0.99; p < 0.001). These results suggest that mindfulness meditation techniques are associated with significant improvements in pain reduction and enhanced quality of life compared to standard treatment. In contrast, the pooled SMD for physical function between mindfulness meditation and conventional therapy was 0.03 (95% CI: − 0.98 to 1.04), indicating no strong evidence that mindfulness meditation improves physical function over standard interventions. Notably, there was substantial heterogeneity among studies (χ² = 369.89, df = 5, p < 0.001; I² = 98.76%), likely due to variations in study design, sample populations, and intervention protocols in the mobility domain. Mindfulness meditation is more effective than conventional treatments for reducing pain intensity and improving quality of life in CLBP, though it may not enhance physical function or mobility. Further studies should assess long-term outcomes and optimal delivery methods.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cites 13
- Mindfulness meditation for the treatment of chronic low back pain in older adults: A randomized controlled pilot study ☆ Pain June 4, 2007
- Mindfulness-Based Pain Management (MBPM) for Chronic Pain: a Randomized Clinical Trial Mindfulness December 1, 2022
- Meditation-Based Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Pain Medicine September 30, 2022
- Mindfulness-based interventions for chronic pain: Evidence and applications. Asian Journal of Psychiatry February 2018
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Treating Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine June 6, 2017
and 8 more in the library