biostudies-literatureUnknown11Williams CM<h4>Background</h4>Clinical practice guidelines recommend that the initial treatment of acute low back pain (LBP) should consist of advice to stay active and regular simple analgesics such as paracetamol 4 g daily. Despite this recommendation in all international LBP guidelines there are no placebo controlled trials assessing the efficacy of paracetamol for LBP at any dose or dose regimen. This study aims to determine whether 4 g of paracetamol daily (in divided doses) results in a more rapid recovery from acute LBP than placebo. A secondary aim is to determine if ingesting paracetamol in a time-contingent manner is more effective than paracetamol taken when required (PRN) for recovery from acute LBP.<h4>Methods/design</h4>The study is a randomised double dummy placebo controlled trial. 16BMC musculoskeletal disorders169https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC2918542biostudies-literaturePACE--the first placebo controlled trial of paracetamol for acute low back pain: design of a randomised controlled trial.PMC2918542Maher CGWilliams CMDay ROLatimer JLin CWHancock MJCooper CWMcLachlan AJMcAuley JHfalsePACE--the first placebo controlled trial of paracetamol for acute low back pain: design of a randomised controlled trial.<h4>Background</h4>Clinical practice guidelines recommend that the initial treatment of acute low back pain (LBP) should consist of advice to stay active and regular simple analgesics such as paracetamol 4 g daily. Despite this recommendation in all international LBP guidelines there are no placebo controlled trials assessing the efficacy of paracetamol for LBP at any dose or dose regimen. This study aims to determine whether 4 g of paracetamol daily (in divided doses) results in a more rapid recovery from acute LBP than placebo. A secondary aim is to determine if ingesting paracetamol in a time-contingent manner is more effective than paracetamol taken when required (PRN) for recovery from acute LBP.<h4>Methods/design</h4>The study is a randomised double dummy placebo controlled trial. 162010-01-01T00:00:00Z2010 Jul2025-04-04T11:32:01.892Z2019-03-27T00:33:06ZS-EPMC29185422065001210.1186/1471-2474-11-169