Does movement preparation enhance attending to bodily sensations in the back in people with persistent low back pain?

Attention has been proposed to play an important role in persisting pain, with excessive attentional processes towards pain information leading to worse pain outcomes and maladaptive behaviors. Nevertheless, research on somatosensory attending during the anticipation of pain-related movements is still scarce. This study investigated if individuals with chronic and recurrent lower back pain compared to pain-free controls, show enhanced attending to somatosensory information in the back while anticipating back-recruiting movements. 43 healthy control, 33 recurrent (RLBP) and 33 chronic low back (CLBP) pain sufferers were asked to perform back-recruiting movements. Before the movement initiation cue, a task-irrelevant tactile stimulus was administered to participants' lower back to elicit somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs), used as an index of somatosensory attending. In contrast to our hypothesis, most identified SEP components did not differ across groups. The only exception was the P175 amplitude which was larger for the CLBP group compared to individuals with RLBP and healthy controls. The current study did not find robust evidence of enhanced somatosensory attending to the back in people with persisting lower back pain. The finding that CLBP, but not RLBP individuals, had larger amplitudes to the P175 component, is discussed as possibly reflecting a higher state of emotional arousal in these patients when having to prepare the back-recruiting movements.

The mediating role of depressive symptoms among Turkish population related to gender and low back pain: evidence from a national health survey.

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP), though non-life-threatening, burdens healthcare with treatment expenses and work hours lost. Globally, 70-84% experience it, with risk factors tied to societal structure, income, and living conditions, making it a leading cause of disability. METHODS: This study utilized data from the 2019 Türkiye Health Survey, which consisted of 17,084 individuals aged 15 and above. Our study focused on investigating the factors related to low back pain through a cross-sectional analysis. To analyze these factors, we employed binary multivariate logistic regression. Additionally, we conducted post-hoc analyses to assess the potential mediating effect of depressive symptoms on the relationship between low back pain and gender. RESULTS: We found that 31.9% of the population experienced low back pain, with women being 58% more likely [aOR = 1.58; 95% CI (1.45-1.73)] than men to report symptoms. Individuals aged 55 + years old had a 90% [aOR = 1.90; 95% CI (1.61-2.23)] chance of experiencing low back pain, indicating an age-related increase. In the general population, having depressive symptoms was 2.49 [95% CI (2.23-2.78)] times more likely associated with low back pain. Our mediation analysis showed that gender (i.e., women vs. men), indicated by direct effects with ß-estimates e = 0.78, predicted the likelihood of low back pain. Additionally, the relationship between gender and low back pain, mediated through a history of depressive symptoms, had a significant total indirect effect (i.e., ß-estimate given as e = 0.49). Specifically, a history of depressive symptoms accounted for 17.86% [95% CI (9.67-20.10)] of the association between women having a higher likelihood of low back pain compared to men. CONCLUSION: We observed that a higher likelihood of low back pain associated with gender and aging. Additionally, BMI served as a significant predictor, particularly in adults. Depression mediated the association between gender and low back pain. Acknowledging these associations may help identify and address contributing factors to LBP, potentially increasing awareness and alleviating the burden. Policymakers and healthcare professionals may consider these findings when developing prevention and treatment programs for low back pain.

Translation, validity and reliability of the pain attitudes and beliefs scale for physiotherapists in French.

BACKGROUND: The Pain Attitudes and Beliefs Scale for Physiotherapists (PABS-PT) questionnaire evaluates manual therapists' biomedical and biopsychosocial beliefs regarding the management of chronic low back pain. Its usage in clinical settings is an important step in the implementation of national guidelines and policies to improve patient management. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to translate the PABS-PT questionnaire into French, to adapt it culturally, and to conduct a psychometric analysis. DESIGN: Qualitative and cross-sectional study. METHOD: The translation process followed published guidelines with cross-cultural validation by an expert committee. We followed a forward and backward translation procedure and an expert committee, including the original author of the questionnaire and a linguistics expert ensuring good cultural adaptation, issued a finalised version. Psychometric analysis of the French version of the questionnaire was conducted among 390 French manual therapists in two phases. The first phase evaluated structural validity as well as external validity compared with the TSK and BBQ questionnaires. Then, reliability and scalability were analysed. The second phase evaluated test-retest reproducibility by sending the same questionnaire 3 months later. RESULTS: The validity study revealed three subscales: the classic biomedical subscale and two subscales for biopsychosocial beliefs (aetiology of pain and physical activity). With 21 items in total for the PABS-PT-FR, the structural validity scores were good (BM: alpha = 0.82, H = 0.38; Physical Activity: alpha = 0.62, H = 0.32; Aetiology of Pain: alpha = 0.55, H = 0.29). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a validated tool to assess French physiotherapists' and, more generally, healthcare providers' beliefs about chronic low back pain, with a new insight into the BPS subscale internal construct.

An exploration of low back pain beliefs held by health care professionals in Northern America.

BACKGROUND: Prior research demonstrated that people in the United States and Canada (Northern America) hold predominantly biomedical beliefs about Low back pain (LBP); such beliefs were attributed to healthcare professionals (HCP). Further investigation is needed to understand HCP' LBP beliefs, preferred management strategies, and sources of beliefs. METHODS: Participants were recruited via social media to complete a qualitative cross-sectional online survey. The survey was distributed to assess LBP beliefs in a U.S. and Canadian-based clinician population. Participants answered questions about the cause of LBP, reasons for recurrence or persistence, use of imaging, management strategies, and sources of beliefs. Responses were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty three participants were included, reporting multiple causes for LBP. However, many references were anchored to biological problems. When psychological variables were mentioned, it typically involved patient blaming. Like prior research studies, minimal attention was given to societal and environmental influences. Management strategies often aligned with guideline care except for the recommendation of inappropriate imaging and a reliance on passive interventions. CONCLUSIONS: These findings align with prior research studies on general population beliefs, demonstrating a preference for biological causes of LBP. Further updates are needed for clinical education, while future studies should seek to assess the translation of clinician beliefs into clinical practice and health system constraints.

A content analysis of the interventions for low back pain promoted on the websites of Australian pain clinics.

BACKGROUND: The Internet is a widely used source of health information, yet the accuracy of online information can be low. This is the case for low back pain (LBP), where much of the information about LBP treatment is poor. METHODS: This research conducted a content analysis to explore what pain treatments for LBP are presented to the public on websites of Australian pain clinics listed in the PainAustralia National Pain Services Directory. Websites providing information relevant to the treatment of LBP were included. Details of the treatments for LBP offered by each pain service were extracted. RESULTS: In total, 173 pain services were included, with these services linking to 100 unique websites. Services were predominantly under private ownership and located in urban areas, with limited services in non-urban locations. Websites provided detail on a median of six (IQR 3-8) treatments, with detail on a higher number of treatments provided by services in the private sector. Physical, psychological and educational treatments were offered by the majority of pain services, whereas surgical and workplace-focused treatments were offered by relatively few services. Most services provided details on multidisciplinary care; however, interdisciplinary, coordinated care characterised by case-conferencing was infrequently mentioned. CONCLUSIONS: Most websites provided details on treatments that were largely in-line with recommended care for LBP, but some were not, especially in private clinics. However, whether the information provided online is a true reflection of the services offered in clinics remains to be investigated.

Conditioned pain modulation, kinesiophobia, and pain catastrophizing as prognostic factors for chronicity in a population with acute low back pain: An exploratory prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial factors and alteration of the somatosensory functions have been associated with persistent low back pain (LBP). A decreased capacity of the central nervous system to modulate pain has been suggested as a potential contributor to the persistence of pain. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether conditioned pain modulation (CPM), initial symptoms/disability, kinesiophobia, and pain catastrophizing is associated with the transition from acute to chronic LBP. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHOD: Fifty participants presenting with acute LBP (<6 weeks) took part in three evaluation sessions (baseline, 3 and 6 months). At baseline and 3-month evaluations, all participants completed self-administered questionnaires (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI], Short Form of Brief Pain Inventory [BPI-SF], Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia [TSK] and Pain Catastrophizing Scale [PCS]) and CPM was assessed. At the 6-month evaluation, questionnaires were readministered, and participants were dichotomized according to their status (Non-chronic LBP [NCLBP] or chronic LBP [CLBP]). Univariate tests were used to compare baseline variables between NCLBP and CLBP. RESULTS: No significant baseline difference was found for TSK (p = 0.48), PCS (p = 0.78), CPM (p = 0.82), ODI (p = 0.78), BPI-SF severity (p = 0.50), and interference subscales (p = 0.54) between those categorized as NCLBP or CLBP at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study failed to support the hypothesis that inefficient CPM mechanisms and the presence of psychological factors could be factors associated with the transition to chronic pain in individuals with acute LBP.

Subgroup characteristics in care workers with low back pain: cluster analysis-based severity of central sensitivity syndromes and low back pain.

PURPOSE: This multicentre, collaborative, cross-sectional study aimed to explore the characteristics of subgroups based on central sensitivity syndromes (CSSs) and low back pain (LBP) severity. Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between the classified subgroups and work status among the care workers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 660 care workers, we assessed LBP intensity, pain duration, pain sites, CSS (using the central sensitization inventory-9), psychological factors (using the pain catastrophizing scale and pain self-efficacy questionnaire), and work status (interference, amount of assistance, frequency of assistance, and work environment). We used hierarchical clustering analysis to divide the participants into subgroups based on CSS and LBP severity. We further performed multiple comparison analyzes and adjusted the residuals (chi-square test) to reveal differences between clusters. RESULTS: Care workers with LBP were divided into four subgroups (Cluster 1: no CSS and mild LBP, Cluster 2: mild CSS and severe LBP, Cluster 3: mild CSS and mild LBP, Cluster 4: severe CSS and moderate LBP). Cluster 4 tended to have a higher number of pain sites, severe pain catastrophizing, and poor pain self-efficacy. In addition, Cluster 4 showed a higher frequency of assistance and an inadequate working environment and equipment. By contrast, Cluster 2 tended to have low pain self-efficacy. In addition, Cluster 2 experienced the highest work-related interference compared with any of the subgroups. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that the severe LBP and severe CSS subgroups had common and different characteristics concerning psychological factors and work status, including interference with work. Our results may help to improve the management of care workers with LBP.

The use of a biopsychosocial model in the treatment of patients with chronic.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the available knowledge on the application of biopsychosocial model (BPS) in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). METHODS: A scoping review, including 32 papers that used a BPS to manage adult patients with CLBP, published in any language. Six different databases were searched. RESULTS: According to the description of the protocols, most of them use BPS for assessment of the patients. In this first stage the most often evaluated were pain and disability, kinesiophobia and quality of life, and work-related factors. The intervention most used associate psychological and physical domains using pain education or cognitive functional therapy and active exercise. Even though was not the most common, in the social domain occupational, behavioral and family interventions were observed. CONCLUSION: BPS is more often used as combination of physical and psychological aspects, being the social domain restricted to work-related factors. Patien'ts perception of their health status is little explored, and it is suggested that the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health be used. PRACTICE IMPLICATION: Patient perception as well as social factors in addition to occupational ones should be included in the clinical approach of the patient with CLBP and should be further explored in research.

Biopsychosocial rehabilitation in the working population with chronic low back pain: a concept analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the essential attributes of biopsychosocial rehabilitation for chronic low back pain in the working population. DESIGN: A concept analysis was conducted according to the 8-step method of Walker and Avant. This framework provides a clear concept and theoretical and operational definitions. METHODS: Five databases were searched, followed by a systematic screening. Subsequently, attributes, illustrative cases, antecedents, consequences and empirical referents were formulated. RESULTS: Of the 3793 studies identified, 42 unique references were included. Eleven attributes were identified: therapeutic exercise, psychological support, education, personalization, self-management, participation, follow-up, practice standard, goal-setting, social support, and dietary advice. Subsequently, illustrative cases were described. Antecedents, such as motivation, preparedness and a multidisciplinary team, were found, together with consequences such as decreased pain, less sick-leave and increased function and work status. Finally, examples of empirical referents were given. CONCLUSION: This study identified the attributes that are necessary to develop biopsychosocial rehabilitation intervention programmes for chronic low back pain. The defined concept of biopsychosocial rehabilitation for chronic low back pain may serve as a solid base to further develop and apply interventions. Future research should focus on the objectification of biopsychosocial rehabilitation and conceptualization regarding how personalization is done.

Identifying Clinical Phenotypes in People Who Are Hispanic/Latino With Chronic Low Back Pain: Use of Sensor-Based Measures of Posture and Movement, Pain, and Psychological Factors.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify clinical phenotypes using sensor-based measures of posture and movement, pain behavior, and psychological factors in Hispanic/Latino people with chronic low back pain (CLBP). METHODS: Baseline measures from an ongoing clinical trial were analyzed for 81 Hispanic/Latino people with CLBP. Low back posture and movement were measured using commercial sensors during in-person testing and 8 hours of ecological monitoring. Magnitude, frequency, and duration of lumbar movements, sitting and standing postures were measured. Movement-evoked pain was assessed during in-person movement testing. Psychological measures included the Pain Catastrophizing Scale and the Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire. Random forest analysis was conducted to generate 2 groups and identify important variables that distinguish groups. Group differences in demographics, pain, psychological, and posture and movement variables were examined using t-tests and chi-square analyses. RESULTS: Two subgroups of Hispanic/Latino people with CLBP were identified with minimal error (7.4% misclassification ["out-of-bag" error]). Ecological posture and movement measures best distinguished groups, although most movement-evoked pain and psychological measures did not. Group 1 had greater height and weight, lower movement frequency, more time in sitting, and less time in standing. Group 2 had a greater proportion of women than men, longer low back pain duration, higher movement frequency, more time in standing, and less time in sitting. CONCLUSION: Two distinct clinical phenotypes of Hispanic/Latino people with CLBP were identified. One group was distinguished by greater height and weight and more sedentary posture and movement behavior; the second group had more women, longer duration of low back pain, higher lumbar spine movement frequency, and longer duration of standing postures. IMPACT: Ecological measures of posture and movement are important for identifying 2 clinical phenotypes in Hispanic/Latino people with CLBP and may provide a basis for a more personalized plan of care. LAY SUMMARY: Wearable sensors were used to measure low back posture and movement in Hispanic/Latino people with chronic low back pain. These posture and movement measures helped to identify 2 different clinical subgroups that will give physical therapists more information to better personalize treatment for chronic low back pain in Hispanic/Latino patients.

Mindfulness-based Interventions for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to compile existing evidence examining the effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for chronic low back pain (CLBP). CLBP leads to millions of disabled individuals in the United States each year. Current pharmacologic treatments are only modestly effective and may present long-term safety issues. MBIs, which have an excellent safety profile, have been shown in prior studies to be effective in treating CLBP yet remained underutilized. DESIGN: Ovid/Medline, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), pilot RCTs, and single-arm studies that explored the effectiveness of MBIs in CLBP. METHODS: Separate searches were conducted to identify trials that evaluated MBIs in reducing pain intensity in individuals with CLBP. A meta-analysis was then performed using R v3.2.2, Metafor package v 1.9-7. RESULTS: Eighteen studies used validated patient-reported pain outcome measures and were therefore included in the meta-analysis. The MBIs included mindfulness meditation, mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, mindfulness-oriented recovery enhancement, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, meditation-cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based care for chronic pain, self-compassion course, and loving-kindness course. Pain intensity scores were reported using a numerical rating scale (0 to 10) or an equivalent scale. The meta-analysis revealed that MBIs have a beneficial effect on pain intensity with a large-sized effect in adults with CLBP. CONCLUSIONS: MBIs seem to be beneficial in reducing pain intensity. Although these results were informative, findings should be carefully interpreted due to the limited data the high variability in study methodologies, small sample sizes, inclusion of studies with high risk of bias, and reliance on pre-post treatment differences with no attention to maintenance of effects. More large-scale RCTs are needed to provide reliable effect size estimates for MBIs in persons with CLBP.

Personalized assessment and management of non-specific low back pain.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Low back pain (LBP), and in particular non-specific low back pain (NSLBP), which accounts for approximately 90% of LBP, is the leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide. In clinical trials, LBP is often poorly categorized into 'specific' versus 'non-specific' and 'acute' versus 'chronic' pain. However, a better understanding of the underlying pain mechanisms might improve study results and reduce the number of NSLBP patients. DATABASES AND DATA TREATMENT: Narrative review. RESULTS: NSLBP is a multi-dimensional, biopsychosocial condition that requires all contributing dimensions to be assessed and prioritized. Thereby, the assessment of the contribution of nociceptive, neuropathic and nociplastic pain mechanisms forms the basis for personalized management. In addition, psychosocial (e.g. anxiety, catastrophizing) and contextual factors (e.g. work situation) as well as comorbidities need to be assessed and individually weighted. Personalized treatment of NSLBP further requires individually choosing treatment modalities, for example, exercising, patient education, cognitive-behavioural advice, pharmacotherapy, as well as tailoring treatment within these modalities, for example, the delivery of tailored psychological interventions or exercise programs. As the main pain mechanism and psychosocial factors may vary over time, re-assessment is necessary and treatment success should ideally be assessed quantitatively and qualitatively. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of the main contributing pain mechanism and the integration of the patients' view on their condition, including beliefs, preferences, concerns and expectations, are key in the personalized clinical management of NSLBP. In research, particular importance should be placed on accurate characterization of patients and on including outcomes relevant to the individual patient. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Here, a comprehensive review of the challenges associated with the diagnostic label 'non-specific low back pain' is given. It outlines what is lacking in current treatment guidelines and it is summarized what is currently known with respect to individual phenotyping. It becomes clear that more research on clinically meaningful subgroups is needed to best tailor treatment approaches.

Effects of sleep quality on pain, cognitive factors, central sensitization, and quality of life in patients with chronic low back pain.

BACKGROUND: Sleep quality in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) may affect quality of life (QoL), possibly due to worsening pain, central sensitization (CS), and cognitive factors. However, causal relationship among the factors has not been confirmed yet. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that sleep quality in patients with CLBP is attributable to pain, cognitive factors, and CS, and influences QoL, by structural covariance analysis. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. Participants were recruited from six health care facilities and 101 patients with CLBP were included. Structural covariance analysis assessed the fit of data to the model using goodness of fit index (GFI), adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI), comparative fit index (CFI), and mean squared approximation error (RMSEA). RESULTS: The structural covariance analysis showed that the goodness-of-fit indices were high (GFI = 0.993, AGFI = 0.964, CFI = 1.00, RMSEA < 0.01). Sleep quality was not directly influenced by QoL but rather by CS and cognitive factors. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that sleep quality in patients with CLBP is indirectly mediated through multiple pathways, including cognitive factors and CS, which may influence QoL.

Strong Association of Depression and Anxiety With the Presence of Back Pain While Impact of Spinal Imaging Findings is Limited: Analysis of an MRI Cohort Study.

Development of back pain is multifactorial, and it is not well understood which factors are the main drivers of the disease. We therefore applied a machine-learning approach to an existing large cohort study data set and sought to identify and rank the most important contributors to the presence of back pain amongst the documented parameters of the cohort. Data from 399 participants in the KORA-MRI (Cooperative health research in the region Augsburg-magnetic resonance imaging) (Cooperative Health Research in the Region Augsburg) study was analyzed. The data set included MRI images of the whole body, including the spine, metabolic, sociodemographic, anthropometric, and cardiovascular data. The presence of back pain was one of the documented items in this data set. Applying a machine-learning approach to this preexisting data set, we sought to identify the variables that were most strongly associated with back pain. Mediation analysis was performed to evaluate the underlying mechanisms of the identified associations. We found that depression and anxiety were the 2 most selected predictors for back pain in our model. Additionally, body mass index, spinal canal width and disc generation, medium and heavy physical work as well as cardiovascular factors were among the top 10 most selected predictors. Using mediation analysis, we found that the effects of anxiety and depression on the presence of back pain were mainly direct effects that were not mediated by spinal imaging. In summary, we found that psychological factors were the most important predictors of back pain in our cohort. This supports the notion that back pain should be treated in a personalized multidimensional framework. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents a wholistic approach to the problem of back pain. We found that depression and anxiety were the top predictors of back pain in our cohort. This strengthens the case for a multidimensional treatment approach to back pain, possibly with a special emphasis on psychological factors.

Effectiveness of integrated approach of yoga therapy versus usual care in management on chronic low back pain patients: A randomized controlled pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic low back pain is associated with both psychological and functional limitation. Yoga therapy has been shown to improve both the aspects. The present study was planned to evaluate integrated approach of yoga therapy with usaul care. AIMS: This controlled randomized trial was done to evaluate the clinical and molecular changes resulting from integrated approach of yoga therapy (IAYT) as an adjunct regimen and compared it with usual care for the management of chronic low back pain patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We enrolled 29 adult patients with non-specific chronic low back pain (CLBP). Patients were randomly divided into two groups. The control group received the usual care of treatment as per institutional protocol. The yoga group received IAYT as an adjunct to usual care. Primary outcomes were pain intensity assessed by verbal numerical rating scale (VNRS) and functional ability assessed by Modified Oswestry Disability Index (MODI). Secondary outcomes were pain catastrophizing, quality of life, fear of movement related to CLBP, type of pain, levels of ß-endorphin and TNF-α, and salivary CGRP. All parameters were measured at baseline, 1 and 3 months. RESULTS: A Significant decrease in VNRS score at 1 and 3 months was observed in both the groups with the yoga group showing a more significant reduction in pain over time than the control group (p = 0.036). MODI improved significantly only in the yoga group at 1 and 3 months. Intergroup comparison revealed significantly better MODI over time in the yoga group (p < 0.001). DN4, PDQ, PCS, HADS (anxiety), and Euro QOL had a statistically significant improvement at 1 and 3 months in the yoga group compared with the control group. The HADS (depression) had a statistically significant reduction scores in the yoga group at 3 months compared with the control group (p = 0.012). There was a significant reduction in TNF-α values in the yoga group compared with baseline (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: IAYT therapy helped in addressing the psychological components of pain and improved quality of life patients with chronic low back pain compared with usual care.

Effectiveness of Cognitive Functional Therapy Versus Core Exercises and Manual Therapy in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain After Spinal Surgery: Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to investigate whether cognitive functional therapy (CFT) was more effective than core exercises and manual therapy (CORE-MT) in improving pain and function for patients with chronic low back pain after spinal surgery. METHODS: This study was a randomized controlled superiority trial in a university hospital and a private physical therapist clinic in Santa Catarina, Brazil. Eighty participants who were 18 to 75 years old and had chronic low back pain after spinal surgery received 4 to 12 treatment sessions of CFT or CORE-MT once per week for a maximum period of 12 weeks. Primary outcomes were pain intensity (numeric pain rating scale, scored from 0 to 10) and function (Patient-Specific Functional Scale, scored from 0 to 10) after intervention. RESULTS: We obtained primary outcome data for 75 participants (93.7%). CFT was more effective, with a large effect size, than CORE-MT in reducing pain intensity (mean difference [MD] = 2.42; 95% CI = 1.69-3.14; effect size [d] = 0.85) and improving function (MD = -2.47; 95% CI = -3.08 to -1.87; effect size = 0.95) after intervention (mean = 10.4 weeks [standard deviation = 2.17] after the beginning of treatment). The differences were maintained at 22 weeks for pain intensity (MD = 1.64; 95% CI = 0.98-2.3; effect size = 0.68) and function (MD = -2.01; 95% CI = -2.6 to -1.41; effect size = 0.81). CONCLUSION: CFT was more effective than CORE-MT, with large effect sizes, and may be an option for patients with chronic low back pain after spinal surgery. IMPACT: CFT reduces pain and improves function, with large effect sizes, compared with CORE-MT. The difference between CFT and CORE-MT was sustained at the midterm follow-up. Treatment with CFT may be an option for patients with chronic low back pain after spinal surgery.

Experiences from pre-surgery physiotherapy and thoughts about future exercise among patients with disc herniation or spinal stenosis: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Continuous exercising after a physiotherapy intervention for low back pain (LBP) is known to be crucial, but sustaining new habits may be challenging. AIM: To describe patients' pre- and post-surgery experiences after a pre-surgery physiotherapy intervention, and their thoughts about future exercise and self-management. METHODS: Individual semi-structured interviews at two time-points were analysed with content analysis. Patients randomised to pre-surgery physiotherapy in an RCT evaluating the intervention, who had participated in ≥12 sessions, were invited. Eighteen patients were interviewed 0-8 months after pre-surgery physiotherapy, and sixteen of those completed a second interview 3-14 months later. RESULTS: Three categories emerged: 1) "Personal experiences from pre-surgery participation", described how participation was perceived as challenging and sometimes stressful, but wellness improved. Cooperation with the physiotherapist was considered crucial and gave confidence. 2) "Attitudes to exercise", described exercise as an action of prevention and rehabilitation that demands motivation. Exercise was perceived to be good for you, physically but also improving mental health and other systems. 3) "Future physical activity - individual responsibility", described the return to former activities and potential challenges for the future. New knowledge was perceived to have changed the prerequisites for exercise and increased security in every-day physical activities. CONCLUSION: Pre-surgery physiotherapy may enhance self-management through increased confidence, improved knowledge about progression, and awareness about exercise for pain relief, producing a new mindset. Challenges for continuing exercise should be addressed during the intervention. The result can inform supportive strategies for patients to continue with self-management after LBP rehabilitation.

Lower individual alpha frequency in individuals with chronic low back pain and fear of movement.

ABSTRACT: Significant progress has been made in linking measures of individual alpha frequency (IAF) and pain. A lower IAF has been associated with chronic neuropathic pain and with an increased sensitivity to pain in healthy young adults. However, the translation of these findings to chronic low back pain (cLBP) are sparse and inconsistent. To address this limitation, we assessed IAFs in a cohort of 70 individuals with cLBP, implemented 3 different IAF calculations, and separated cLBP subjects based on psychological variables. We hypothesized that a higher fear movement in cLBP is associated with a lower IAF at rest. A total of 10 minutes of resting data were collected from 128 electroencephalography channels. Our results offer 3 novel contributions to the literature. First, the high fear group had a significantly lower peak alpha frequency. The high fear group also reported higher pain and higher disability. Second, we calculated individual alpha frequency using 3 different but established methods; the effect of fear on individual alpha frequency was robust across all methods. Third, fear of movement, pain intensity, and disability highly correlated with each other and together significantly predicted IAF. Our findings are the first to show that individuals with cLBP and high fear have a lower peak alpha frequency.

'Engaging on a slightly more human level': A qualitative study exploring the care of individuals with back pain in a multidisciplinary pain clinic.

Chronic low back pain is characterised by multiple and overlapping biological, psychological, social and broader dimensions, affecting individuals' lives. Multidisciplinary pain services have been considered optimal settings to account for the multidimensionality of chronic low back pain but have largely focused on cognitive and behavioural aspects of individuals' pain. Social dimensions are usually underexplored, considered outside or beyond healthcare professionals' scope of practice. Employing Actor Network Theorist Mol's concept multiplicity, our aim in this paper is to explore how a pain service's practices bring to the fore the social dimensions of individuals living with low back pain. Drawing on 32 ethnographic observations and four group exchanges with the service's clinicians, findings suggest that practices produced multiple enactments of an individual with low back pain. Although individuals' social context was present and manifested during consultations at the pain service (first enactment: 'the person'), it was often disconnected from care and overlooked in 'treatment/management' (second enactment: 'the patient'). In contrast, certain practices at the pain service not only provided acknowledgement of, but actions towards enhancing, individuals' social contexts by adapting rules and habits, providing assistance outside the service and shifting power relations during consultations (third enactment: 'the patient-person'). We therefore argue that different practices enact different versions of an individual with low back pain in pain services, and that engagement with individuals' social contexts can be part of a service's agenda.

The association between pain-related psychological variables and postural control in low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Alterations in postural control have been found in individuals with low back pain (LBP), particularly during challenging postural tasks. Moreover, higher levels of negative pain-related psychological variables are associated with increased trunk muscle activity, reduced spinal movement, and worse maximal physical performance in individuals with LBP. RESEARCH QUESTION: Are pain-related psychological variables associated with postural control during static bipedal standing tasks in individuals with LBP? METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. Pubmed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO were searched until March 2023. Studies were included if they evaluated postural control during static bipedal standing in individuals with LBP by measuring center of pressure (CoP) variables, and reported at least one pain-related psychological variable. Correlation coefficients between pain-related psychological variables and CoP variables were extracted. Study quality was assessed with the "Quality In Prognosis Studies" tool (QUIPS). Random-effect models were used to calculate pooled correlation coefficients for different postural tasks. Sub-analyses were performed for positional or dynamic CoP variables. Certainty of evidence was assessed with an adjusted "Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations" tool (GRADE). The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021241739). RESULTS: Sixteen studies (n = 723 participants) were included. Pain-related fear (16 studies) and pain catastrophizing (three studies) were the only reported pain-related psychological variables. Both pain-related fear (-0.04 < pooled r < 0.14) and pain catastrophizing (0.28 < pooled r < 0.29) were weakly associated with CoP variables during different postural tasks. For all associations, the certainty of evidence was very low. SIGNIFICANCE: Pain-related fear and pain catastrophizing are only weakly associated with postural control during static bipedal standing in individuals with LBP, regardless of postural task difficulty. Certainty of evidence is very low thus it is conceivable that future studies accounting for current study limitations might reveal different findings.