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Psychosocial factors associated with change in pain and disability outcomes in chronic low back pain patients treated by physiotherapist: a systematic review

Alhowimel, Ahmed; Alotaibi, Mazyad; Radford, Kathryn A.; Coulson, Neil S.

Authors

Ahmed Alhowimel

Mazyad Alotaibi



Abstract

Background: Almost 80% of people have low back pain at least once in their life. Clinical guidelines emphasize the use of conservative physiotherapy and the importance of staying active. While the psychological factors predicting poor recovery following surgical intervention are understood, the psychosocial factors associated with poor outcomes following physiotherapy have yet to be identified.
Methods: Electronic searches of PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO and EBSCO were conducted using terms relating to psychosocial factors, chronic low back pain, disability and physiotherapy. Papers examining the relationship between psychosocial factors and pain and disability outcomes following physiotherapy were included. Two reviewers selected, appraised and extracted studies independently.
Results: In total, 10 observational studies were identified that suggested an association between fear of movement, depression, self-efficacy and catastrophizing in modifying pain and disability outcomes following physiotherapy.
Discussion: Although limited by methodological shortcomings of included studies, and heterogeneity of physiotherapy interventions and measures of disability and psychosocial outcomes, the findings are consistent with other research in the context of back pain and physiotherapy, which suggest an association between psychosocial factors, including fear of movement, catastrophizing and self-efficacy and pain and disability outcomes in chronic low back pain patients treated by physiotherapist. However, a direct relationship cannot be concluded from this study.
Conclusion: Findings suggest an association between psychosocial factors, including fear of movement, catastrophizing and self-efficacy and pain and disability outcomes in chronic low back pain patients treated by physiotherapist, which warrants further study.

Citation

Alhowimel, A., Alotaibi, M., Radford, K. A., & Coulson, N. S. (in press). Psychosocial factors associated with change in pain and disability outcomes in chronic low back pain patients treated by physiotherapist: a systematic review. SAGE Open Medicine, https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312118757387

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 15, 2018
Online Publication Date Feb 6, 2018
Deposit Date May 29, 2018
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal SAGE Open Medicine
Electronic ISSN 2050-3121
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312118757387
Keywords Chronic low back pain, outcomes, physiotherapy, psychosocial
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/909712
Publisher URL http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2050312118757387

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