The effectiveness of pain neuroscience education combined with manual therapy and home exercise for chronic low back pain: A single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the short- and mid-term effects of pain neuroscience education (PNE) combined with manual therapy (MT) and a home exercise program (HEP) on pain intensity, back performance, disability, and kinesiophobia in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods: This study was designed as a prospective, randomized, controlled, single-blind study in which 69 participants were randomly assigned to three groups. Participants in Group 1 received PNE, MT, and the HEP, while Group 2 received MT and the HEP. Participants in the control group did the HEP only. All interventions lasted 4 weeks. The participants' pain intensity, disability, low back performance, and kinesiophobia were assessed. All assessments were executed before intervention, at 4 weeks, and at 12 weeks post-intervention by the same blinded physiotherapist. A mixed model for repeated measures was used for each outcome measure. Results: Analysis of pain level (p < .05), back performance (p < .05), disability (p < .05) and kinesiophobia (p < .05) revealed significant time, group, and time-by-group interaction effects. The participants in Group 1 exhibited greater improvement in terms of pain intensity and kinesiophobia compared to the participants in Group 2 and the control group. Level of disability was significantly decreased in both Group 1 and Group 2 compared to the control group. Conclusion: This study suggests that a multimodal treatment program combining PNE, MT, and HEP is an effective method for improving back performance and reducing pain, disability, and kinesiophobia in the short (4 weeks) and midterm (12 weeks).

Does pain neuroscience education improve pain knowledge, beliefs and attitudes in undergraduate physiotherapy students?

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effect of a brief pain neuroscience education (PNE) session on physiotherapy students' knowledge of pain and their beliefs and attitudes about the treatment of patients with chronic low back pain. METHODS: This study was a single-center, cross-sectional study including 205 physiotherapy undergraduate students. The participants completed the Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) and Pain Attitudes and Beliefs Scale for Physiotherapists (PABS-PT). They then received a 70-min neuroscience education session covering the mechanisms and biopsychosocial aspects of chronic low back pain. The questionnaires were readministered immediately after the educational session and at 6 months posteducation. RESULTS: Our analysis included data from 156 participants (mean age: 20.9 ± 2.51, 69.8% women) who completed the questionnaires pre-, post-, and 6 months after the educational session. To assess the effect of the education on the scores of the questionnaires, a repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted. There was a significant interaction observed for NPQ over time (p = 0.00; η 2  = 0.654), for PABS-PT factor 1(p < 0.001; η2 = 0.50) and for PABS-PT factor 2 over time (p = 0.02; η 2  = 0.04) CONCLUSION: This study showed that a 70-min session of PNE improves the level of pain knowledge in undergraduate physiotherapy students and influences their beliefs and attitudes concerning chronic low back pain. These findings suggest that adding PNE to the curricula of physiotherapy and rehabilitation programs may be beneficial.

The effectiveness of specific exercise types on cardiopulmonary functions in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a systematic review.

The aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness of specific exercise types on pulmonary functions, aerobic and functional capacity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). A systematic search of Cochrane Database of Systematic Review, MEDLINE (EBSCO), Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), CINAHL (EBSCO), PUBMED, AMED, EMBASE (OVID) was conducted in January 2016. The outcome measures were spirometric measurements, chest expansion, 6 minute walk distance (6MWD), pVO2, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI). The search strategy was applied with limitation of date and language and this initial electronic search resulted in 143 relevant studies. After duplicates were removed, the titles and abstracts of 52 articles were screened. Of these, 14 full-text articles met initial criteria and were retrieved for review, with eight studies meeting final inclusion criteria. Both specific and conventional exercise groups showed significant improvements in BASDAI and BASFI scores (p < 0.05) in patients with AS, although there was no significant difference between two exercise groups. As for pulmonary functions, the specific exercise groups have greater improvements than conventional group in spirometric measurement, chest expansion (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between specific conventional exercise types in 6MWD (p > 0.05). Specific exercises are an effective adjuvant therapy to enhance cardiopulmonary functions in patients with AS; therefore, it is assumed that in addition to the medical treatments, specific exercise therapy might reduce the cardiopulmonary complications related with AS.

Relationship between fear avoidance beliefs and burnout syndrome in patients with lumbar disc herniation.

OBJECTIVES: Lumbar disc herniation leads to disability by restricting of patients' lives and reducing their quality of life. This situation causes a decrease in motivation of patients by triggering depressive mood. Therefore, the aim of the study was investigation of correlation between fear avoidance beliefs and burnout syndrome in patients with lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: Totally forty-seven patients (24 male and 23 female patients) diagnosed lumbar disc herniation was included in this study. Maslach II Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) for determining of levels of burnout and fear avoidance level were used, respectively. RESULTS: It was observed that MBI and FABQ scores of the patients were 50.78 ± 10.07 and 36.61 ± 13.91, respectively. Moderate level correlation was found between FABQ and MBI total scores (r= 0.49, p= 0.00). CONCLUSIONS: Fear avoidance beliefs of patients with chronic back pain can affect level of burnout syndrome. Therefore, symptoms of burnout syndrome and fear avoidance beliefs of patients should be considered in evaluation and treatment process.